Tracking Charge Migration with Frequency-Matched Strobo-Spectroscopy

We present frequency-matched strobo-spectroscopy (FMSS) of charge migration (CM) in bromobutadiyne, simulated with time-dependent density functional theory. CM + FMSS is a pump–probe scheme that uses a frequency-matched high harmonic generation (HHG)-driving laser as an independent probe step, following the creation of a localized hole on the bromine atom that induces CM dynamics. We show that the delay-dependent harmonic yield tracks the phase of the CM dynamics through its sensitivity to the amount of electron density on the bromine end of the molecule. FMSS takes advantage of the intrinsic attosecond time resolution of the HHG process in which different harmonics are emitted at different times and thus probe different locations of the electron hole. Finally, we show that the CM-induced modulation of the HHG signal is dominated by the recombination step of the HHG process, with a negligible contribution from the ionization step.