Persistent quantum interfering electron trajectories

Abstract: The emission of above-ionization-threshold harmonics results from the recombination of two electron wavepackets moving along a "short" and a "long" trajectory in the atomic continuum. Attosecond pulse train generation has so far been attributed to the short trajectory, attempted to be isolated through targeted trajectory-selective phase matching conditions. Here, we provide experimental evidence for the contribution of both trajectories to the harmonic emission, even under phase matching conditions unfavorable for the long trajectory. This is finger printed in the interference modulation of the harmonic yield as a function of the driving laser intensity. The effect is also observable in the sidebands yield resulting from the frequency mixing of the harmonics and the driving laser field, an effect with consequences in cross-correlation pulse metrology approaches.