Evidence of high harmonics from echo-enabled harmonic generation for seeding x-ray free electron lasers

Echo-enabled harmonic generation free electron lasers hold great promise for the generation of fully coherent radiation in x-ray wavelengths. Here we report the first evidence of high harmonics from the echo-enabled harmonic generation technique in the realistic scenario where the laser energy modulation is comparable to the beam slice energy spread. In this experiment, coherent radiation at the seventh harmonic of the second seed laser is generated when the energy modulation amplitude is about 2-3 times the slice energy spread. The experiment confirms the underlying physics of echo-enabled harmonic generation and may have a strong impact on emerging seeded x-ray free electron lasers that are capable of generating laserlike x rays which will advance many areas of science.     

Proposal for an x-ray free electron laser oscillator with intermediate energy electron beam

Harmonic lasing of low-gain free electron laser oscillators has been experimentally demonstrated in the terahertz and infrared regions. Recently, the low-gain oscillator has been reconsidered as a promising candidate for hard x-ray free electron lasers, through the use of high reflectivity, high-resolution x-ray crystals. In this Letter, it is proposed to utilize a crystal-based cavity resonant at a higher harmonic of the undulator radiation, together with phase shifting, to enable harmonic lasing of the x-ray free electron laser oscillator, and hence allow the generation of hard x-ray radiation at a reduced electron beam energy. Results show that fully coherent free electron laser radiation with megawatt peak power, in the spectral region of 10-25 keV, can be generated with a 3.5 GeV electron beam.     

回声谐波放大型自由电子激光相干涡旋X射线产生方案

外种子型自由电子激光具有全相干、频谱稳定、极高亮度的优点,可以实现在超小空间和超快时间尺度下对物质结构的研究。具有特殊横向相位模式的光特别是具有螺旋相位的带轨道角动量的涡旋光已经在众多科学领域有了应用,基于自由电子激光原理产生的辐射横向模式基本上为简单的高斯模式,为产生具有横向螺旋相位的相干涡旋X射线,对基于回声谐波放大型(EEHG)自由电子激光产生涡旋光方案进行了深入研究,并且根据上海软X射线自由电子激光装置(SXFEL)的参数,进行了相关方案设计和模拟研究。三维模拟结果表明,外种子型EEHG自由电子激光可以产生峰值功率可达到GW量级的相干涡旋软X射线。     

Coherent hard x rays from attosecond pulse train-assisted harmonic generation

High-order harmonic generation from atomic systems is considered in the crossed fields of a relativistically strong infrared laser and a weak attosecond pulse train of soft x rays. Due to one-photon ionization by the x-ray pulse, the ionized electron obtains a starting momentum that compensates the relativistic drift, which is induced by the laser magnetic field, and allows the electron to efficiently emit harmonic radiation upon recombination with the atomic core in the relativistic regime. This way, short pulses of coherent hard x rays of up to 40 keV energy can be generated.     

Experimental study of conversion from atomic high—order harmonics to x—ray emissions

There are two physical phenomena in a strong laser intensity. One is the high-order harmonic emission; the other is x-ray emission from optical-field ionized plasmas. The experiment of conversion from high-order harmonics to x-ray emissions was given with a 105fs Ti:sapphire laser by adjusting laser intensities. The ingredient in plasma was investigated by the numerical simulations.Our experimental results suggested that the free electrons have detrimental effects on harmonic generation but are favourable for x-ray emission from optical-field ionized plasmas. If we want to obtain more intense harmonic signals as a coherent light source in the soft x-ray region, we must avoid the production of free electrons in plasmas. At the same time, if we want to observe x-rays for the development of high-repetition-rate table-top soft x-ray lasers, we should strip all atoms in the plasmas to a necessary ionized stage by the optical-field-ionization in the field of a high-intensity laser pulse.     

神光Ⅲ原型单端驱动黑腔等离子体聚心时间研究

在神光Ⅲ原型装置上,利用8束激光单端驱动半腔靶实验研究了黑腔等离子体聚心时间.通过改变腔底结构建立了4种黑腔辐射源,比较了等离子体径向的聚心时间与黑腔辐射温度的变化关系.径向聚心时间和辐射温度分别由X射线分幅相机和软X射线能谱仪给出.研究发现,4种辐射源的等离子体径向聚心时间与辐射温度之间存在正比关系,聚心时间随辐射温度升高而延后.     

Small rare-gas clusters in soft x-ray pulses

We develop a microscopic model for the interaction of small rare-gas clusters with soft x-ray radiation from a free electron laser. It is shown that, while the overall charging of the clusters is rather low, unexpectedly high atomic charge states can arise due to charge imbalances inside the cluster. These findings are explained by an increased absorption via inverse bremsstrahlung due to high intermediate charge states and by a nonhomogenous charge distribution inside the cluster.     

利用山形空穴存储层结构对深紫外激光二极管的性能优化

为了有效提高深紫外激光二极管的空穴注入效率和减少电子泄露,优化其性能,设计出了在基础矩形空穴存储层结构上改进后的山形空穴存储层和倒山形空穴存储层。使用Crosslight软件模拟仿真倒山形和山形空穴存储层结构的电子浓度、电子电流密度、能带图以及P-I特性曲线。结果显示山形空穴存储层激光器的光学和电学性能优于矩形和倒山形激光器,因此山形空穴存储层激光器能有效地增加有源区空穴注入和减少电子泄露,提高有源区载流子浓度和辐射复合速率,实现了激光器优越的光电性能。     

某些类氖离子和类镍离子等离子体状态对应关系的研究

利用一维拉格朗日流体动力学程序Med103详细研究了产生类镍Ag,Cd,In,Sn, Sb离子和类氖Fe,Co,Ni,Cu,Zn离子的等离子体状态.通过对电子温度、离子丰度、离子数密度等状态参量的分析比较，得到了这两类等离子体状态之间的对应关系.即类镍银的等离子体状态与类氖铁 的相近，类镍镉的与类氖钴的相近，依次类推.利用这一对应关系可以方便地由类氖机理x射线激光的等离子体状态来对相应元素的类镍x射线激光的等离子体状态进行判断. 关键词： 类氖 类镍 等离子体状态 x射线激光     

Atomic antenna: Nonlinear scattering of a superatomic-intensity laser pulse

A semiclassical model of high harmonic generation upon ionization by suppressing the atomic barrier is developed. The spreading of the wave packet of an ionized electron, which is chosen in the form of a Gaussian distribution, is considered. The quantum nature of the process is taken into account by the initial discrete level of the electron, and the finite wave packet spreading occurs in the continuum. After its detachment from the atom, the electron is assumed to be free and moving under the action of the laser pulse field and the Coulomb interaction of the electron with the atomic core can be treated as a perturbation. The radiation from the electron is calculated from its acceleration expressed in terms of the average force of interaction of the electron with the Coulomb center of the atom.     

Observation of the second harmonic in Thomson scattering from relativistic electrons

A free relativistic electron in an electromagnetic field is a pure case of a light-matter interaction. In the laboratory environment, this interaction can be realized by colliding laser pulses with electron beams produced from particle accelerators. The process of single photon absorption and reemission by the electron, so-called linear Thomson scattering, results in radiation that is Doppler shifted into the x-ray and gamma-ray regions. At elevated laser intensity, nonlinear effects should come into play when the transverse motion of the electrons induced by the laser beam is relativistic. In the present experiment, we achieved this condition and characterized the second harmonic of Thomson x-ray scattering using the counterpropagation of a 60 MeV electron beam and a subterawatt CO2 laser beam.     

Soft-x-ray coherent radiation using a single-cascade free-electron laser

Coherent harmonic generation using single-pass free-electron lasers is a promising method for generating coherent radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet and x-ray spectral region. We propose a simple scheme allowing one to generate powerful coherent radiation in the soft x-ray region by making use of present available technology. The method relies on the possibility of creating substantial bunching in a relativistic electron beam, while limiting the growth of its energy spread. The validity of the scheme is demonstrated using a simple one-dimensional model. Results are confirmed by three-dimensional simulations.     

Experimental characterization of nonlinear harmonic generation in planar and helical undulators

We present an experimental characterization of the process of coherent harmonic generation in single-pass free electron lasers. The harmonic radiation is obtained by seeding the electron beam stored in the Elettra storage ring with a Ti:sapphire laser. Different methods for generating harmonics are compared between them, and a detailed characterization of the emitted light is performed for different polarizations. Our results also contribute to the debate about the possible presence of a coherent on-axis signal in helical undulators. In this respect, we provide an experimental confirmation of recent theoretical studies that predict no coherent on-axis signal.     

Nonlinear optical response of an atom in the field of femtosecond laser pulses with near-atomic intensity

A theory of the nonresonant response of a single atom in a state with arbitrary magnitude and direction of the angular momentum of an atomic electron with respect to the polarization vector of the acting electromagnetic field has been developed. It has been shown that the atomic response current has a tensor structure and depends both on the direction of the angular momentum of the atom and on the polarization vector of the external field. The tensor character of the response is due to the effects of the anisotropy of probability density distribution of the atomic electron as compared to the case of the free atom. The selection rules for the axisymmetric problem of the atom in the field have been analyzed. The manifestation of the selection rules in the angular spectra of photoelectrons has been demonstrated. The probability of the ionization of the atom has been analyzed as a function of the amplitude and duration of the pulse. It has been shown that the width of the generation spectrum is a nonlinear function of the field strength and is saturated in the region of nearly atomic fields. Methods for controlling the parameters of the atomic response spectrum have been proposed on the basis of the use of a sequence of laser pulses with various time profiles, carrier frequencies, and polarization states. It has been shown that the generation of terahertz radiation is possible in the preionization regime, where the generation mechanism is attributed to atomic nonlinearity.     

Fully coherent hard X-ray generation by two-stage phase-merging enhanced harmonic generation

Cascading stages of seeded free electron lasers (FELs) is a promising way to produce fully coherent X-ray radiation. We study a new approach to produce coherent hard X-rays by cascading the recently proposed phase-merging enhanced harmonic generation (PEHG) The scheme consists of one dogleg and two PEHG configurations, and may be one of the leading candidates for the extracted undulator branch in future X-ray FEL facilities. FEL physics studies show that such a scheme is feasible within the present technology and can provide high brightness X-ray radiation pulses with narrow bandwidth and full coherence The radiated peak power at 1 Å wavelength converted from an initial 200 nm seed laser is over 2 GW.     

Ultrafast, jitter-free x-ray streak camera that uses single-photon counting

A novel method developed to increase the temporal resolution of x-ray streak cameras is described. The method is analogous to the time-correlated single-photon-counting technique, which is commonly used in atomic physics. By use of short-pulse x-ray radiation from a laser-produced plasma, generated by an ultrafast laser, it is shown that a standard x-ray streak camera with a nominal temporal resolution of >5ps can yield a temporal response of 1.6 ps. The readout technique also removes temporal jitter with respect to the triggering laser. Capabilities and limitations of the technology are discussed.     

Electron acceleration in the inverse free electron laser with a helical wiggler by axial magnetic field and ion-channel guiding

Electron acceleration in the inverse free electron laser (IFEL) with a helical wiggler in the presence of ion-channel guiding and axial magnetic field is investigated in this article. The effects of tapering wiggler amplitude and axial magnetic field are calculated for the electron acceleration. In free electron lasers, electron beams lose energy through radiation while in IFEL electron beams gain energy from the laser. The equation of electron motion and the equation of energy exchange between a single electron and electromagnetic waves are derived and then solved numerically using the fourth order Runge-Kutta method. The tapering effects of a wiggler magnetic field on electron acceleration are investigated and the results show that the electron acceleration increases in the case of a tapered wiggler magnetic field with a proper taper constant.     

Self-induced harmonic generation in a storage-ring free-electron laser

Coherent radiation from a relativistic electron beam is a valuable way to overcome the present limitations of conventional lasers and synchrotron radiation light sources. The typical scheme has electrons, directly from a linac, in a single-pass interaction with a laser pulse in the presence of a static undulator magnetic field. We demonstrate that a storage-ring free-electron laser can also achieve harmonic generation (down to 36.5 nm), presenting both experimental and theoretical results, and offer a reliable interpretation of the peculiar underlying physical processes involved.     

Electron-beam conditioning by thomson scattering

A method is proposed for conditioning electron beams via Thomson scattering. The conditioning provides a quadratic correlation between the electron energy deviation and the betatron amplitude of the electrons, which results in enhanced gain in free-electron lasers. Quantum effects imply conditioning must occur at high laser fluence and moderate electron energy. Conditioning of x-ray free-electron lasers should be achievable with present laser technology, leading to significant size and cost reductions of these large-scale facilities.