Characterizing electronic coherence in molecules in phase space

Exposing a molecule to an intense light pulse can create a nonstationary quantum state, thus launching correlated dynamics of electrons and nuclei. A strong correlation between the electronic and nuclear motion typically induces a fast decoherence of electronic oscillations which leads to a redistribution of the created charge along molecular chain within just a few femtoseconds. Although much has been achieved in performing numerical simulations of the electron motion coupled to nuclear dynamics, the detailed understanding of mechanisms underlying electronic coherence and decoherence still remains an open question. Here, we present our recently developed fully quantum and semiclassical techniques capable of simulating and interpreting the field-induced electron-nuclear motion in molecules. Applications of the developed techniques to decipher complex outcome of recent pioneering experiments measuring properties of matter with atomic spatial resolution and on attosecond time scales will be discussed.