Electron transfer in a virtual quantum state of LiBH4 induced by strong optical fields and mapped by femtosecond x-ray diffraction
Transient polarizations connected with a spatial redistribution of electronic charge in a mixed quantum state are induced by optical fields of high amplitude. We determine for the first time the related transient electron density maps, applying femtosecond x-ray powder diffraction as a structure pro...
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| Published in: | Physical review letters Vol. 109; no. 14; p. 147402 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
United States
05-10-2012
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| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | Transient polarizations connected with a spatial redistribution of electronic charge in a mixed quantum state are induced by optical fields of high amplitude. We determine for the first time the related transient electron density maps, applying femtosecond x-ray powder diffraction as a structure probe. The prototype ionic material LiBH4 driven nonresonantly by an intense sub-40 fs optical pulse displays a large-amplitude fully reversible electron transfer from the BH4(-) anion to the Li+ cation during excitation. Our results establish this mechanism as the source of the strong optical polarization which agrees quantitatively with theoretical estimates. |
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| Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
| ISSN: | 1079-7114 |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.147402 |