Attosecond charge migration in model carbon chains studied with nonlinear dynamics

Ultrafast charge migration, where the coherent motion of electrons and holes in molecules are followed in real time, is currently attracting much theoretical and experimental interest. In this presentation I will discuss recent theoretical investigations of attosecond charge migration in model carbon chains that employs tools from nonlinear dynamics [1]. I will show that, following ionization, the mean-field interaction drives synchronization of the electron motion and gives rise to a variety of migration dynamics. Notably, this synchronization can support several modes of current-like charge-migration in a molecule, with periods varying by several hundred attoseconds. I will also discuss how functionalization and hybridization can play an important role in synchronizing migration dynamics. These results shed new light on the mechanisms that regulate charge-migration dynamics in complex molecules using nonlinear collective effects. [1] F. Mauger et al., “Nonlinear dynamics of attosecond charge migration in model carbon chains,” arXiv:2007.08007 (2021)