Physics Colloquium, November 16, 2004

Sub-fs and sub-Angstrom imaging of atomic and molecular dynamics

Misha Ivanov

NRC

Abstract: What really goes on inside an atom or molecule? What happens when they are driven to an extreme? I will describe several ideas on how intense laser pulses can be used to push the limits of time and space resolution. In small molecules, one might be able to use a molecule's own electrons to image its nuclear motion with sub-Angstrom spatial and femtosecond temporal precision. In atoms, it appears possible to follow electron dynamics at a level below 10 attoseconds (an attosecond is 10^-18 seconds).

3.30 p.m., Smith Laboratory, Room 1005

Refreshments served in Smith 1094 at 3:00 p.m.