Three-state selective population of dressed states via generalized spectral phase-step modulation

We present a joint experimental and theoretical study of selective population of dressed states (SPODS) in a three-level system. Control is exerted by shaped intense femtosecond laser pulses generated by a generalized spectral phase-step modulation function. We show that both control parameters (i.e., the phase-step amplitude and position) can be used to switch population among each three dressed states with high selectivity. The dynamics of the system, and hence the resulting photoelectron signal is studied theoretically by analyzing the time evolution of the adiabatic dressed-state energies and populations.