Ultrafast Processes in Solids: fs PEEM and ARUPS Studies

Time-domain studies of fundamental dynamical processes in solids generally require optical pump-probe schemes using pulsed femto- and attosecond light sources. In combination with photoelectron spectroscopy a direct access to ultrafast surface processes is possible. In the first part, the high sensitivity and lateral resolution of the time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy technique (TR-PEEM) is used to verify simultaneous spatial and temporal control of nanooptical fields in the vicinity of metallic nanostructures and optical antennas. This opens a route towards space-time-resolved spectroscopy on nanometer length-scales and femtosecond time-scales. In the second part k-resolved studies (fs-ARUPS) of photo-induced phase transitions will demonstrate the feasibility of probing transient changes of the valence electronic distribution on an fs time scale. This highly promising method has become possible just recently due to the development of laser-driven short-pulse EUV sources.