The future of attosecond spectroscopy

Attoscience is the study of physical processes that occur in less than a fraction of a cycle of visible light, in times less than a quadrillionth of a second. The motion of electrons inside atoms and molecules that are undergoing photoionization or chemical change falls within this time scale, as does the plasma motion that causes the reflectivity of metals. The techniques to study motion on this scale are based on careful control of strong-field laser-atom interactions. These techniques and new research opportunities in attosecond spectroscopy are reviewed.