Decay of cystalline order and equilibration during the solid-to-plasma transition induced by 20-fs microfocused 92-eV free-electron-laser pulses

We have studied a solid-to-plasma transition by irradiating Al foils with the FLASH free electron laser at intensities up to 10(16) W/cm(2). Intense XUV self-emission shows spectral features that are consistent with emission from regions of high density, which go beyond single inner-shell photoionization of solids. Characteristic features of intrashell transitions allowed us to identify Auger heating of the electrons in the conduction band occurring immediately after the absorption of the XUV laser energy as the dominant mechanism. A simple model of a multicharge state inverse Auger effect is proposed to explain the target emission when the conduction band at solid density becomes more atomiclike as energy is transferred from the electrons to the ions. This allows one to determine, independent of plasma simulations, the electron temperature and density just after the decay of crystalline order and to characterize the early time evolution.     

Controlling the spacing of attosecond pulse trains from relativistic surface plasmas

When a laser pulse hits a solid surface with relativistic intensities, XUV attosecond pulses are generated in the reflected light. We present an experimental and theoretical study of the temporal properties of attosecond pulse trains in this regime. The recorded harmonic spectra show distinct fine structures which can be explained by a varying temporal pulse spacing that can be controlled by the laser contrast. The pulse spacing is directly related to the cycle-averaged motion of the reflecting surface. Thus the harmonic spectrum contains information on the relativistic plasma dynamics.     

红外激光场中共振结构原子对极紫外光脉冲的压缩效应

通过数值求解一维原子的含时薛定谔方程, 研究了具有共振结构的原子在双色场(红外激光(IR)+极紫外光(XUV)) 驱动下发射高次谐波的特征. 研究结果表明, 具有共振结构的原子所发射的高次谐波与无共振结构原子(简称为一般原子)发射的高次谐波有明显不同, 共振结构的原子除了在某一能量附近(原子的共振能量+电离能)高次谐波的强度有很大提高外, 它还对XUV光的响应较一般原子表现得更为敏感, 即使XUV光的强度较弱, 也能够明显提高XUV光脉冲中心频率附近的谐波强度, 更重要的是通过调节双色场的时间延迟, 能使输入的XUV光的脉宽得到明显的压缩, 通过时间-频率分析给出了发生这种现象的原因. 由此提出了通过滤波-连续反馈的方式可使XUV光的脉冲从200 as压缩至120 as左右.     

锗等离子体远紫外光谱研究

测量了线聚焦激光加热锗等离子体发射的远紫外光谱，对ＧｅＸＸ－ＧｅＸＸＶＩ谱线进行了辨认和分类。给出了谱线波长和相对强度；计算了辐射跃迁概率和吸收振子强度；并；与其他实验室有关结果进行了比较。 关键词：     

一种平场范围在30~50nm的平焦场光谱仪

 理论上计算了入射距离747.4 mm及不同入射角情况下，日立变栅距凹面光栅的平场范围，确定了平场范围在30~50nm的一组平场谱仪的新设计参数。在原入射距离的情况下，新研制的平场谱仪在入射狭缝前加了一个轮胎镜，使谱仪具有空间分辨能力，且提高了收集效率，。利用一种真空紫外光谱灯对He气放电的特征谱线对平场谱仪进行了标定。在入射狭缝为 0.1mm时，实验上测得30.38nm谱线的宽度约为0.04mm, 在30nm附近的分辨率为0.001，在消像散波长40nm附近，分辨率将优于0.001。最后，利用标定后的平场谱仪对毛细管放电不同气体等离子体辐射进行了初步的测谱实验。     

Investigation of luminescence processes in YAG single crystals irradiated by 50 MeV electron beam

Absorption, emission and excitation spectra of 50 MeV electron beam irradiated and as-grown YAG single crystals were studied and compared in the 10–300 K temperature range using time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy under UV/VUV/XUV excitation by synchrotron radiation and cathodoluminescence. The emission spectra consist of intrinsic (excitonic) and defect related non-elementary bands in the VIS/UV range. It is shown that fast electrons create stable F and F⁺ color centers with characteristic emission and absorption bands in the visible/UV range. Induced absorption caused from these defects starts at 4.2 eV. Energy transfer from host to color centers is not an efficient process.     

Characterization of attosecond XUV pulses from photoelectron spectra of atoms

A method to characterize attosecond extreme ultra violet (XUV) pulses from photoelectron spectra of atoms is presented. A pump pulse prepares a coherent superposition of two atomic bound states, from which photoionization takes place after variable time delays by the attosecond XUV pulse. Information on the spectral phase of the attosecond XUV pulse is extracted from the analysis of photoelectron spectra as a function of photoelectron energy and time delay. Together with information on the spectral intensity obtained from a separate optical measurement, a temporal shape of the attosecond XUV pulse can be precisely reconstructed. After the theoretical formulation of the problem, we present numerical examples for H atom and show that, depending on the choice of energy separation of two bound states, a different accuracy is reached to characterize attosecond XUV pulses.     

Soft X-ray spectroscopic study of a gas-puff Z-pinch argon plasma

X-ray radiation characteristics of argon plasma produced by a gas-puff Z-pinch device were investigated using an X-ray crystal spectrometer, an X-ray diode, and an extreme ultraviolet (XUV) spectrometer. Using a germanium crystal we have observed spectral emission from Ar XVII produced by hot spots at the pinched stage. With the help of a 2-m grazing incidence XUV spectrometer, the spectrum of 30 to 250 Å were obtained. Strong lines from Ar VIII to Ar XIII were observed with a continuum whose peak is around 120 Å. The radiation energy in the spectral range is estimated to be about 23 joule which is about 0.6% of the electrical energy stored in capacitors     

Characterization of the thermal front inside a 2ω laser produced plasma by its emission in the XUV radiation range

We present for the first time an XUV imaging of a laser produced plasma in the range of 150 Å wavelength. For the moderate Z material used (Al), the more intense observed emissions come from the lithium-like ionized species. The imaging of the spatial emission of these species gives the signature of the thermal front location inside the plasma. The position and the extension of this emission characterize the location and the sharpness of the temperature gradient plasma.     

Intense XUV emission generated by a capillary discharge based apparatus

We present the characterization of an apparatus generating XUV radiation by a high peak value (20–40) kA and short rise time (≈ 20 ns) current pulse in a capillary discharge channel (up to 20 cm in length) filled by argon gas. The apparatus has been developed with the purpose of production of an intensive spontaneous emission in the spectral region of (2–50) nm and study of the z-pinch conditions for obtaining the laser generation in the Nelike Ar at 46.9 nm. The current pulses are generated by the direct discharge of a 7 nF water dielectric capacitor resonantly charged up to 400 kV by a six-stages Marx generator. The XUV radiation emitted during the radial compression of the plasma column is measured using calibrated PIN diodes, filters and multilayer mirrors in order to test the z-pinch plasma collapse and to measure the conversion efficiency of the electrical energy into the XUV radiation. This work is supported by the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics and in part by the Italian National Institute of Matter Physics.     

Isolated attosecond electron wave packet diffraction

Wave-particle duality is one of the most fundamental and mysterious natures of matters.Here,we present an interesting scheme of isolated electron wave packet diffraction with a few-cycle laser pulse and an extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulse.The diffraction fringes are clearly present in the laser dressed XUV photoelectron spectra,strongly resembling the Airy diffraction pattern of optical waves.This phenomenon suggests a great potential of attosecond diffractometry.According to this scheme we also propose a simple method to determine the XUV pulse duration from the photoelectron spectra with a rather high resolution.     

High density plasmas for recombination X-ray lasers

The scaling of recombination XUV lasers to shorter wavelengths requires laser plasmas produced at initial electron densities close to solid. With pump laser pulses longer than a few tens of picoseconds the hydrodynamic motion of the plasma during the interaction makes this difficult to achieve. In contrast, when picosecond laser pulses are used the laser energy is absorbed close to solid density since the plasma expansion is insignificant during the laser pulse. This results in hot near solid density plasmas which are needed for hydrogenic recombination X-ray lasers operating in the water window. Experimental observations have shown that a fully ionized aluminium plasma with a temperature of about 400 eV and a density well above 10²³ cm^–3 is produced when an aluminium target is irradiated with a single 3.5 ps high power KrF laser pulse.     

传播效应对宽带极紫外连续谱的影响

宽带极紫外连续谱是获得阿秒脉冲的重要途径,在此过程中传播效应是影响宽带极紫外连续谱产生的重要因素,本文针对传播效应对宽带极紫外连续谱的影响,采用慢变波近似的一阶传播方程,研究了传播过程对双色场周期量级激光脉冲产生宽带连续谱及其对应的单个阿秒脉冲的影响.通过分析不同聚焦位置和介质长度的传播过程,发现介质位于焦点之后有利于产生连续谱,同时随着介质长度的变长,虽然单个阿秒脉冲峰值强度有所提高,但是产生的阿秒脉冲宽度也会增加.进一步的分析表明,在特定的双色场延迟优化下,传播效应不仅使得阿秒脉冲强度增强,还可以获得与单原子模型下具有同样脉宽的单个阿秒脉冲,而不会因为传播效应导致阿秒脉冲宽度变宽.     

Coherent ultrashort XUV emission by harmonic generation

By focusing an intense short-pulse laser into a rare gas jet, high-order harmonics of the laser frequency are generated. Considerable progress have been made in the last few years, with the observation of harmonic orders higher than 200, extending the emission down to 3 nm. Besides its fundamental interest, this XUV emission represents a new source with unique properties of coherence and ultrashort (femtosecond) duration. A growing number of applications are reported, ranging from atomic and molecular spectroscopy to solid-state and plasma physics.     

激光诱导Al等离子体在背景气体中的流体现象

调Q-YAG脉冲激光（波长1.06μm,脉宽10ns,能量为250mJ/pu1se）烧蚀Al靶,用短焦距照相系统和光学多道分析仪（OMA）记录了等离子体在氩气背景气体及不同压强下所呈现的流体现象及其等离子体辐射的空间分辨光谱。实验发现,当背景气压为400Pa以下时,在靶面上存在一个明亮的发光球体,球体直径远大于激光烧蚀斑的大小,此球体向四周辐射等离子体光谱,只是在垂直靶面的方向辐射相对较强。在气压约为400Pa,等离子体辐射才以较为明显的羽状体形态向前喷散,且随气压增高,喷散的立体角变小。随着背景气压的继续升高,等离子体羽被压缩,成为一个明亮的发光小羽状体,当气压达20～30kPa,发光羽状体开始出现分解的迹象,在羽状体前端形成一个光球。气压继续升高,等离子体羽完全变成一串发光球。离开靶面越远,发光球的半径越大。用光学多道分析系统分析这些发光球的光谱特征,发现在靶面附近主要是Al等离子体的谱线,而较远的发光球,其主要谱线则来自背景气体。在气压为20kPa左右,等离子休羽呈现烧蚀点为明亮的白色亮点,而羽端为鲜艳绿色（氩的514nm）的彩色羽。     

Attosecond pulse extreme-ultraviolet photoionization in a two-color laser field

Attosecond-pulse extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) photoionization in a two-color laser field is investigated. Attosecond pulse trains with different numbers of pulses are examined, and their strong dependence on photoelectronic spectra is found. Single-color driving-laser-field-assisted attosecond XUV photoionization cannot determine the number of attosecond pulses from the photoelectronic energy spectrum that are detected orthogonally to the beam direction and the electric field vector of the linearly polarized laser field. A two-color-field-assisted XUV photoionization scheme is proposed for directly determining the number of attosecond pulses from a spectrum detected orthogonally.     

Spectral analysis of K-shell X-ray emission of magnesium plasma produced by ultrashort high-intensity laser pulse irradiation

Spectral analysis of K-shell X-ray emission of magnesium plasma, produced by laser pulses of 45 fs duration, focussed up to an intensity of ～10¹⁸ W cm^?2, is carried out. The plasma conditions prevalent during the emission of X-ray spectrum were identified by comparing the experimental spectra with the synthetic spectra generated using the spectroscopic code PrismSPECT. It is observed that He-like resonance line emission occurs from the plasma region having sub-critical density, whereas K-α emission arises from the bulk solid heated to a temperature of 10 eV by the impact of hot electrons. K-α line from Be-like ions was used to estimate the hot electron temperature. A power law fit to the electron temperature showed a scaling of I ^0.47 with laser intensity.     

Characteristics of the Spectra of a Plasma near the Surface of Solid and Liquid Targets Exprosed to a Laser Pulse of Complex Form

The results of investigation of the dynamics of the emission spectra of a plasma generated at the surface of liquid and solid targets by a laser pulse of a complex time form are presented. It is shown that the shock wave arising as a result of breakdown on the surface of the solid and developing to heights of the order of 4 mm is a laser-supported detonation shock wave. In the case of solid targets, we recorded additional laser plasma light pulses coming after the main pulse. Two additional light pulses have been recorded for the emission line AlI 396.1 nm. In the case of the liquid, we have not detected additional pulses for the investigated emission lines of the elements at the laser radiation power densities used.     

Dynamic Interference Photoelectron Spectra in Double Ionization:Numerical Simulation of 1D Helium

We report our numerical simulation on the dynamic interference photoelectron spectra for a one-dimensional(1D) He model exposed to intense ultrashort extreme ultraviolet(XUV) laser pulses.The results demonstrate an unambiguous interference feature in the photoelectron spectra,and the interference is unveiled to originate from the dynamic Stark effect.The interference photoelectron spectra are prompted for intense sub-femtosecond XUV laser pulses in double ionization.The stationary phase picture is corroborated qualitatively in the two-electron system.The ability of probing the dynamic Stark effect by the photoelectron spectra in a pragmatic experiment of single-photon double ionization of He may shed light on further investigation on multi-electron atoms and molecules.     

氢原子在红外激光和极紫外脉冲组合场中的阈上电离

通过求解氢原子在强红外(IR)激光和极紫外（XUV）脉冲组合场中的三维含时薛定谔方程(TDSE),理论研究了XUV脉冲的加入对光电子能谱和二维光电子动量分布的影响.计算结果表明,与仅由红外场驱动的情况相比,组合场驱动下的光电子能谱和二维光电子动量分布中呈现出明显的干涉增强结构,干涉结构对XUV脉冲的强度、光子能量和时间延迟都有很强的依赖,该方案可实现高能阈上电离谱的选择性增强.