Open AccessUltrafast monoenergetic electron source by optical waveform control of surface plasmons
Author(s) -
Péter Dombi,
Péter Rácz
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.002887
Subject(s) - ultrashort pulse , optics , surface plasmon polariton , surface plasmon , waveform , plasmon , coherent control , laser , carrier envelope phase , phase (matter) , physics , amplitude , electron , pulse (music) , envelope (radar) , pulse shaping , materials science , telecommunications , radar , quantum mechanics , voltage , detector , computer science
We propose coherent control of photoelectron acceleration at metal surfaces mediated by surface plasmon polaritons. A high degree of spectral and spatial control of the emission process can be exercised by amplitude and phase controlling the optical waveform (including the carrier-envelope phase) of the plasmon generating few-cycle laser pulse. Numerical results show that the emitted electron beam is highly directional and monoenergetic suggesting applications in contemporary ultrafast methods where ultrashort, well-behaved electron pulses are required.