Attophysics
Encyclopedia
Attophysics is a branch of physics
wherein attosecond (10-18 s) duration pulses of electron
s or photon
s are used to probe dynamic processes in matter with unprecedented time resolution. This branch of Physics which involves studying some of the fastest physical events is also known as attoscience. The majority of attoscience is investigated in an analogous fashion to using strobe light
s and high-speed film to examine gross matter activities in pump-probe experiments. High temporal resolution measurements were first demonstrated in novel experiments such as the famous photograph of a bullet penetrating an apple, or even Eadweard Muybridge
's 19th century photo series which proved that horses hooves do leave the ground at a running pace.
Today, attophysicists mostly study molecular phenomena, such as how a particular protein
breaks down under X-Ray
bombardment. "One of the primary goals of attosecond science is to provide more insights into the dynamics of atomic electrons."
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
wherein attosecond (10-18 s) duration pulses of electron
Electron
The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...
s or photon
Photon
In physics, a photon is an elementary particle, the quantum of the electromagnetic interaction and the basic unit of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It is also the force carrier for the electromagnetic force...
s are used to probe dynamic processes in matter with unprecedented time resolution. This branch of Physics which involves studying some of the fastest physical events is also known as attoscience. The majority of attoscience is investigated in an analogous fashion to using strobe light
Strobe light
A strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope...
s and high-speed film to examine gross matter activities in pump-probe experiments. High temporal resolution measurements were first demonstrated in novel experiments such as the famous photograph of a bullet penetrating an apple, or even Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard J. Muybridge was an English photographer who spent much of his life in the United States. He is known for his pioneering work on animal locomotion which used multiple cameras to capture motion, and his zoopraxiscope, a device for projecting motion pictures that pre-dated the flexible...
's 19th century photo series which proved that horses hooves do leave the ground at a running pace.
Today, attophysicists mostly study molecular phenomena, such as how a particular protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
breaks down under X-Ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
bombardment. "One of the primary goals of attosecond science is to provide more insights into the dynamics of atomic electrons."
See also
- Ultrashort pulseUltrashort pulseIn optics, an ultrashort pulse of light is an electromagnetic pulse whose time duration is of the order of a femtosecond . Such pulses have a broadband optical spectrum, and can be created by mode-locked oscillators...
- Harmonic Generation
- Paul CorkumPaul CorkumPaul Corkum is a Canadian physicist specializing in attosecond physics and laser science. He holds a joint University of Ottawa–NRC chair in Attoseconds Photonics.-Life:...
- FemtochemistryFemtochemistryFemtochemistry is the science that studies chemical reactions on extremely short timescales, approximately 10–15 seconds .-Introduction:...