Electrons surround themselves with an envelope of light within a single optical cycle (IMAGE)

Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter

Electrons surround themselves with an envelope of light within a single optical cycle

Caption

When electrons (spheres) in the surface of a topological insulator are accelerated by strong light waves according to their band structure (lowest cone), Floquet-Bloch replicas (higher cones) of the original band structure are formed. Videos of the band structure with sub-cycle time resolution reveal for the first time the formation dynamics (cones in the background).

Credit

Brad Baxley (parttowhole.com)

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