Through Plasmons into the Attosecond World. The Concept of Time in Science and Art: An Aesthetic Exploration

Abstract

Ten years ago, science magazine Nature declared attosecond physics to be one of photonics’ most important milestones, and it was in this context that the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics went to Anne L’Huillier, Ferenc Krausz, and Pierre Agostini. Besides exploring the fundamental processes of life, the revolutionary insights gained from attosecond physics have helped in medicine, for instance, to develop innovative technologies that can be used to diagnose and treat diseases, some of which are still incurable today. Generally speaking, all electronic processes and their interactions take place in atoms, molecules, or more complex materials like solid surfaces or organic cells, which means that they play a key role in a huge variety of modern applications and technologies. These interactions take place within extremely short time intervals - that is, on timescales that correspond to the order of “attoseconds.” These time frames equate to a trillionth of a billionth of a second - in other words, they are ultra-fast intervals that are unfathomable for humans beings. A wide range of these electronic processes, including special kinds of collective electron oscillations - referred to as “plasmons,” which take place in solids -now form the backbone of modern technologies, ranging from transistors in microchips to sensors and measuring devices, right up to solar cells and devices for energy storage. Behind all these advances and modern developments are the investigations conducted into thefundamental electronic processes that take place in all these systems. The methods of attosecond physics are now making it possible to directly observe and control the ultra- fast movements of electrons in atoms, molecules, and solids. This knowledge is of crucial significance when it comes to better understanding essential processes in the natural environment and developing future technologies. This article presents a project that was carried out within the scope of a master’s teaching training seminar and based on a collaboration between physicist Alessandra Bellissimo and head of department and art educator Ruth Mateus-Berr, as well as two art and design education students, Gudrun Ragossnig and Maria Mogy, one of whom has completed her teaching studies in physics. The seminar allowed students to engage with cross-disciplinary knowledge, taking into account new curricula that aim to build bridges to other subject areas and to draw connections between them together with school students. In the subjects art and design, technology and design, English, and physics, three Austrian general education secondary schools (AHS) focused on the concept of time, more precisely, on the attosecond, exploring ways to make it apprehensible with the help of the artistic subjects. In interdisciplinary research and teaching, it is of great importance to utilize methods, mindsets, and strategies from different subject areas in order to address and work on complex problems and scien-tific questions. This kind of integrative approach makes it possible to utilize a wide range of information, perspectives, and solutions, which can lead to holistic, innovative insights. Moreover, interdisciplinary collaboration fosters creative thinking and the exchange of ideas by breaking down the barriers between disciplines and creating new synergies. Ultimately, interdisciplinary research and teaching are helping us to tackle the complex challenges of our time more effectively and to expand our understandings of the world’s diversity and complexity. One important requirement for interdisciplinary understanding is profound competence in one’s own subject area. The aim is to transfer knowledge between the disciplines, to observe questions from the perspective of other disciplines, and to overcome the perspectivist segmentation of knowledge. By taking a holistic approach, school students gain more in-depth insights which help them to encounter complexity with creativity and awareness, and to develop innovative solutions that do not just promote their own academic growth but also make them better prepared to address the challenges they will face in the real world with a broad, multifaceted perspective.