Lightwave-controlled relativistic plasma mirrors

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates attosecond control of high-harmonic and electron emissions from plasma mirrors using relativistic lightwaves, enabling waveform-dependent manipulation of plasma mirror dynamics at kHz repetition rates.

Contribution

It introduces a method for waveform-controlled relativistic plasma mirrors, achieving reproducible sub-cycle intensity gating and correlated electron emission at high repetition rates.

Findings

Observation of extreme ultraviolet spectral continua.

Reproducible sub-cycle temporal intensity gating.

Waveform-dependent relativistic electron beam emission.

Abstract

We report on attosecond-scale control of high-harmonic and electron emission from plasma mirrors driven by relativistic-intensity near-single-cycle lightwaves at kHz repetition rate. By controlling the waveform of the intense light transient, we reproducibly form a sub-cycle temporal intensity gate at the plasma mirror surface, leading to the observation of extreme ultraviolet spectral continua, characteristic of isolated attosecond pulse generation. We also observe the correlated emission of a waveform-dependent relativistic electron beam, paving the way towards fully lightwave-controlled dynamics of relativistic plasma mirrors.