Generation of subfemtosecond deep and vacuum UV pulses via two-photon Rabi oscillations in alkali-metal atoms or alkaline-earth-metal ions
Phys. Rev. A 113, 043508 – Published 8 April, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/fzcp-wlqw
Abstract
A method is proposed for the formation of femtosecond and subfemtosecond pulses of the deep ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet radiation via generation of the third harmonic of femtosecond laser pulses during their resonant interaction with alkali-metal atoms or alkaline-earth-metal ions. The pulse formation occurs due to two-photon Rabi oscillations between quasiequidistant energy levels of atoms or ions. The duration of the generated third-harmonic pulse is several times shorter than far from resonance, while the generation efficiency is up to three to four orders of magnitude higher.
