Ultrafast dissipative spin-state dynamics triggered by x-ray pulse trains

Frontiers of attosecond science are constantly shifting, thus addressing more and more intricate effects with increasing resolution. Ultrashort pulses offer a practical way to prepare complex superpositions of quantum states, follow, and steer their dynamics. In this contribution, an ultrafast spin-flip process triggered by subfemtosecond (fs) excitation and strong spin-orbit coupling between 2p core-excited states of a transition metal complex is investigated using density matrix-based time-dependent restricted active space configuration interaction theory. The effect of the nuclear vibrations is incorporated making use of an electronic system plus vibrational bath partitioning. The differences between isolated sub-fs pulses and pulse trains as well as the influence of various pulse characteristics on the initiated dynamics are discussed. The effect under study can be potentially used for ultrafast clocking in sub-few-fs experiments.