Attosecond-streaking time delays: Finite-range property and comparison of classical and quantum approaches

Abstract

We theoretically study time delays obtained using the attosecond-streaking technique. To this end, we compute time delays by numerically solving the corresponding time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation and analyze the delays using two classical methods, namely, a perturbative approach and a full numerical solution of Newton's equation describing the motion of the photoelectron in the continuum. A good agreement between the quantum streaking results and those from the full classical solution is found. This indicates that the streaking time delay arises from the continuum dynamics of the electron in the coupled potential of the Coulomb and streaking fields, while the transition of the photoelectron from the bound state to the continuum occurs instantaneously upon absorption of the photon. We further analyze the variation of the time delay with respect to the delay between the ionizing XUV pulse and a long streaking pulse, its dependence on the polarization direction of the streaking pulse, and the influence of the shape of the streaking pulse and/or additional static electric fields on the numerically obtained time delays. The results are interpreted based on the previously revealed property that the attosecond-streaking time delay depends on the finite region in space over which the electron propagates between its instant of transition into the continuum and the end of the streaking pulse.