A system for conducting surface science with attosecond pulses

Abstract

We report the development of an apparatus to allow time resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of charge motion on solids and structured surfaces with attosecond resolution in an ultra high vacuum environment. The system, connected to the Attosecond Beamline at Imperial College, allows probing of charge dynamics on surfaces and plasmonic fields on structured surfaces with a few-cycle NIR pulse and attosecond pulse trains. The system incorporates novel methods of vibration isolation to eliminate vibrations coupling to sample and optics from mechanical vibrations. An isolated attosecond pulse can also be used with the addition of a multilayer XUV optic. A two-photon photoemission measure of a hot electron population in gold is presented. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012.