Attosecond metrology: from electron capture to future signal processing

Abstract

The accurate measurement of time lies at the heart of experimental science, and is relevant to everyday life. Extending chronoscopy to ever shorter timescales has been the key to gaining real-time insights into microscopic phenomena, ranging from vital biological processes to the dynamics underlying high technologies. The generation of isolated attosecond pulses in 2001 allowed the fastest of all motions outside the nucleus-electron dynamics in atomic systems-to be captured. Attosecond metrology has provided access to several hitherto immeasurably fast electron phenomena in atoms, molecules and solids. The fundamental importance of electron processes for the physical and life sciences, technology and medicine has rendered the young field of attosecond science one of the most dynamically expanding research fields of the new millennium. Here, we review the basic concepts underlying attosecond measurement and control techniques. Among their many potential applications, we focus on the exploration of the fundamental speed limit of electronic signal processing. This endeavour relies on ultimate-speed electron metrology, as provided by attosecond technology. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.