Abstract
This interdisciplinary quantum physics project studies fundamental atomic quantum processes via from-femtosecond-to-picosecond XUV laser pulses coupled to atomic systems. It sets out the ambitious goal of the experimental observation of the so called exceptional points in atomic physics; nowadays, the exceptional points represent hot topic in experimental quantum physics with 6 Nature papers in last 3 years. Such points are encountered in the parameter space of non-hermitian quantum Hamiltonians. In the past decade it has been shown theoretically that the exceptional points play an important role in non-hermitian physics from optics through
atomic to nuclear physics, in quantum phase transitions and quantum chaos. Within this project we also expect, from experimental and instrumental viewpoint, the contribution to an unprecedented stabilization (deep cooling) of a broadband laser oscillator and even the whole amplification chain for the very accurate measurement necessary for resolving the fingerprints of exceptional points.