MIDAS · Multidimensional Spectroscopy at the Attosecond frontier

The invention of multidimensional spectroscopy was a major leap in nuclear magnetic resonance. Comparable schemes in the optical regime have led to significant advances in our understanding of ultrafast dynamics in complex molecular systems. Currently, these multidimensional approaches are the most powerful and complete measurement schemes for resolving molecular dynamics on femtosecond time scales. The goal of this project is to advance the basic ideas and concepts of multi-dimensional spectroscopy to the forefront of ultrafast science – the attosecond (10-18 second) regime.Attosecond science is a young field of research that has rapidly evolved over the past decade. Leading researchers in the field have opened a door into a new area of research that allows the observation of multi-electrons dynamics on their own natural time scale. Attosecond science lies at the heart of strong field light-matter interactions. These interactions can lead to the generation of attosecond duration XUV and energetic electron pulses, thereby providing researchers with the tools for studying a broad range of fundamental phenomena in Nature which evolve on an attosecond time scale. While an extensive theoretical effort has been invested in studying these phenomena, their experimental observation remains limited. The main limitation is set by the complexity of the interaction that offers numerous channels in which electronic dynamics can evolve.The proposed research program aims at introducing multidimensional spectroscopy in the attosecond regime, thus revealing the underlying complex dynamics behind many attosecond scale phenomena. Integrating state of the art experimental schemes, supported by advanced theoretical analysis, will lead to the discoveries of new phenomena previously inaccessible in many experimental observations. The impact of the proposed research is beyond attosecond spectroscopy – opening new paths in resolving phenomena at the extreme nonlinear limit.