Signature of attochemical quantum interference upon ionization and excitation of an electronic wavepacket in fluoro-benzene

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how ultrashort pulses induce quantum interferences in fluoro-benzene, revealing signatures of attochemistry and charge dynamics through simulations and experimental correlation.

Contribution

It provides the first full-dimensional quantum simulations of coupled electron-nuclear dynamics showing attochemical quantum interference effects in fluoro-benzene.

Findings

Quantum interferences affect autocorrelation functions.

Signatures align with high harmonic spectroscopy data.

Reveals charge-directed dynamics in fluoro-benzene.

Abstract

Ultrashort pulses can excite or ionize molecules and populate coherent electronic wavepackets, inducing complex dynamics. In this work, we simulate the coupled electron-nuclear dynamics upon ionization to different electronic wavepackets of (deuterated) benzene and fluoro-benzene molecules, quantum mechanically and in full dimensionality. In fluoro-benzene, the calculations unravel both inter-state and intra-state quantum interferences that leave clear signatures of attochemistry and charge-directed dynamics in the shape of the autocorrelation function. The latter are in agreement with experimental high harmonic spectroscopy measurements of benzenes and fluoro-benzene.