An STM for molecules and wide-bandgap crystal

Akagi, Hiroshi; Arissian, L.*; Bertrand, J. B.*; Corkum, P. B.*; Gertsvolf, M.*; Pavicic, D.*; Rayner, D. M.*; Smeenk, C.*; Staudte, A.*; Villeneuve, D. M.*; et al.

Laser Physics, 19(8), p.1697 - 1704, 2009/08

https://doi.org/10.1134/S1054660X09150018

The paper is divided into four sections. In the first, using atomic ionization as the example, we describe how we can make measurements without re-collision. In the second section we show one approach to measuring the tunnelling probability as a function of molecular alignment using a correlation method. The third section concentrates on how small molecules can be aligned with short laser pulses. Once molecules can be aligned, we can also measure the tunnelling rate as a function of alignment by measuring the ionization probability with linearly polarized light. We use Br and N as examples. Finally we complete the circle, returning to solids. A traditional STM is confined to the surface of solids. Laser radiation does not suffer from this limitation in large band gap materials. One might expect that the ionization probability would change as a function of the angle between the light polarization and the crystal axis much as it does for a molecule. We complete our review by demonstrating that tunnelling can be used to identify the symmetry of a crystal - with micron spatial precision - anywhere in the bulk.