Abstract
The Nobel Prize in Physics awarded in 2023 underscored the transformative potential of attosecond light sources1 which now grant us unprecedented insights into the electron time scale within matter. This advancement has paved the way for the emergence of attochemistry2,3, a novel field aiming at manipulating chemical reactivity through the precise driving of electronic motion.
In this presentation, I will start by explaining the process of attosecond pulse generation4,5, followed by an overview of our latest achievements in producing remarkably short light pulses across both ultraviolet (UV)6,7 and soft X-ray spectral ranges. Additionally, I will highlight a variety of applications for these ultrashort light transients, such as the real-time observation of ultrafast charge migration and dissociative dynamics in photoexcited molecules8,9,10, as well as the study of plasmon dynamics in fullerenes11 and nanoparticles12. A key focus will be on our novel approach to instigating well-controlled charge migration in chiral neutral molecules, which represents a significant step toward achieving charge-directed reactivity13—the ultimate objective of attochemistry.
1. F. Calegari et al, J. Phys. B: Atom. Mol. Opt. Phys. 49, 062001 (2016)
2. M. Nisoli, P. Decleva, F. Calegari et al, Chem. Rev. 117, 10760 (2017)
3. F. Calegari, F. Martin, Commun Chem 6, 184 (2023)
4. G. Sansone, E Benedetti, F Calegari, et al, Science 314 (5798), 443-446 (2006)
5. F. Ferrari*, F. Calegari*, et al, Nature Photonics 4 (12), 875-879 (2010)
6. M. Galli et int., and F. Calegari, Opt. Lett. 44(6), 1308-1311 (2019)
7. V. Wanie et int., and F. Calegari, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 95, 083004 (2024)
8. F. Calegari et al, Science 346, 336 (2014)
9. E. P Månsson et int., and F. Calegari, Communications Chemistry 4 (1), 1-7 (2021)
10. L. Colaizzi et int, and F. Calegari, Nature Communications 15 (1), 9196 (2024)
11. S. Biswas, et int. and F. Calegari, Science Advances (accepted)
12. K. Fu Wong, et int, F. Calegari and M. F. Kling, Nano Letters 24 (18), 5506-5512 (2024)
13. V. Wanie et int., and F. Calegari, Nature 630, 109–115 (2024)