Time-domain perspective on Autler-Townes splitting in attosecond transient absorption of laser-dressed helium atoms

Abstract

We present a theoretical study of the delay-dependent Autler-Townes (AT) splitting in transient absorption spectroscopy of an isolated attosecond pulse in helium atoms subject to a delayed infrared (IR) pulse. We concentrate on cases in which the IR pulse is resonant with the helium $1s2p\text{\ensuremath{-}}1s2s$ transition and provide a time-domain perspective of the dynamics in the delay-dependent pump-probe system. We identify several interesting delay-dependent features in the transient absorption spectrum such as AT splitting, oscillation between absorption and emission at the resonant absorption frequency, and sub-IR-cycles oscillations. We then explain the origins of these features in the time domain in terms of a strongly driven two-level system, in the language of population transfer and coherent control.