Light-wave Control of Non-equilibrium Correlated States using Quantum Femtosecond Magnetism and Time-Periodic Modulation of Coherent Transport

Abstract

Lightwave quantum electronics utilizes the oscillating carrier wave of intense laser fields to control quantum materials properties. Using quantum kinetic equations of motion, we describe lightwave-driven nonlinear quantum transport of electronic spin and charge with simultaneous quantum fluctuations of non-collinear local spins. During cycles of field oscillations, spin-charge inter-atomic quantum excitations trigger non-adiabatic time evolution of an antiferromagnetic insulator state into a metallic non-equilibrium state with transient magnetization. Lightwave modulation of electronic hopping changes the energy landscape and establishes a non-thermal pathway to laser-induced transitions in correlated systems with strong local magnetic exchange interactions.