2021 CAP Virtual Congress / Congrès virtuel de l'ACP 2021

An exploration for new phenomena using high-harmonic generation in two-dimensional van der Waals materials

10 Jun 2021, 16:07

4m

Underline Conference System

Oral not-in-competition (Graduate Student) / Orale non-compétitive (Étudiant(e) du 2e ou 3e cycle) Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, Canada / Physique atomique, moléculaire et photonique, Canada (DAMOPC-DPAMPC) R3-2 Ultrafast Processes (DAMOPC) / Procédés ultrarapides (DPAMPC)

Speaker

Mr Chandler Bossaer (Joint Attosecond Science Laboratory, National Research Council and University of Ottawa)

Description

Attosecond science is a relatively new research field founded on high-harmonic generation (HHG) in atomic and molecular gases, which has recently transitioned to experiment in 3-dimensional solids. Most of the physics underlying attosecond pulse emission from 2-dimensional semiconductors is unknown. Following years of research focusing on HHG in bulk semiconductors, this project focuses on the mostly unstudied van der Waals materials ReS${}_2$ and MoS${}_2$. We measure the power of the emitted high harmonics for varying orientation of the crystallographic axis with respect to the linear polarization of the incident driving laser beam. Both crystals emit high harmonics in a very distinctive pattern which reveals the symmetry of the crystal as well as microscopic details about the orbitals involved in the emission. Our demonstration inches us closer to understanding high-field phenomena in van der Waals materials, and controlling high-harmonic emission with unprecedented precision thanks to the high degree of tunability of 2-dimensional materials and their heterostructures.