Paving the way for new understanding of electron motion
The process studied by Anne‑Lise Viotti allows researchers to follow the motion of electrons in real time. The technique relies on attosecond light pulses—flashes so short, a billionth of a billionth of a second—that they make it possible to map the positions of electrons around atomic nuclei.
The field has far‑reaching implications: improved understanding of ultrafast processes may, in the long term, lead to new ways of designing and characterising the semiconductor components of the future.
High‑harmonic generation – from laser systems to extreme light
At the core of Viotti’s work is high‑harmonic generation, in which an intense laser pulse is sent into a gas and produces light in the extreme ultraviolet region. This light can only exist in a vacuum and is generated in very short intervals, opening opportunities to study extremely small and rapid processes.
“I develop and manipulate laser light, because both the quantity and the quality of the extreme ultraviolet light strongly depend on the characteristics of the laser pulse. For the process to become useful, it must be optimised – and I also want to make the technique more compact and user‑friendly,” says Anne‑Lise Viotti.
Today, the equipment requires an entire room. In the long run, Viotti hopes to reduce the technology to a tabletop scale, which would revolutionise the use of extreme ultraviolet light in both research and industry.
Applications in Industry, Medicine, and Materials Science
There are already clear scenarios where the technique could have major impact. The semiconductor industry, in particular, could benefit from the ability to image extremely small structures to detect defects in chips – something that is crucial in the production of modern electronics.
Fields such as biology and medicine may also gain from the new technique. Electron motion in molecules, proteins and DNA is central to understanding chemical and biological processes. In the future, attosecond light may make it possible to “film’’ such events and thereby lay the foundation for new medical applications.
The grant enables a growing research team
The ÅForsk grant provides Anne‑Lise Viotti with resources to build a larger and more dynamic research team.
“This grant is very welcome. I look forward to creating a research environment where we can involve several PhD students and postdoctoral researchers,” she says.
About the Swedish Foundations’ Starting Grants
The funding comes through the Swedish Foundations’ Starting Grant (SFSG), an initiative from several private research funders, including ÅForsk. The programme targets researchers at Swedish universities who have received the highest score on their ERC Starting Grant application but were not funded due to limited budget.
“With this initiative, we give researchers the opportunity to pursue pioneering work while also strengthening their chances in future ERC calls,” says Per Dannetun, CEO of ÅForsk.
News article about Anne‑Lise Viotti and the new research grant on ÅForsk’s website. (in Swedish).
Anne‑Lise Viotti’s profile in Lund University’s Research Portal.
This article was written by the author with some support from AI‑based language tools.