Subcycle Dynamics in the Laser Ionization of Molecules

The time and momentum distributions of electron emission from a molecule during a single laser cycle are calculated by solving a two-dimensional time-dependent Schr{umlt o}dinger equation. The momentum distributions strongly depend on the orbital symmetry and orientation of the molecular axis. Field-induced internal dynamics of the molecule can shift electron emission and recollision times through a large part of the laser cycle, which leads to corresponding variations of high-harmonic emission times and to the appearance of even harmonics

Internal frequency conversion extreme ultraviolet interferometer using mutual coherence properties of two high-order-harmonic sources

International audienceWe report on an innovative two-dimensional imaging extreme ultraviolet (XUV) interferometer operating at 32 nm based on the mutual coherence of two laser high order harmonics (HOH) sources, separately generated in gas. We give the first evidence that the two mutually coherent HOH sources can be produced in two independent spatially separated gas jets, allowing for probing centimeter-sized objects. A magnification factor of 10 leads to a micron resolution associated with a subpicosecond temporal resolution. Single shot interferograms with a fringe visibility better than 30% are routinely produced. As a test of the XUV interferometer, we measure a maximum electronic density of 3×10^20 cm^−3 1.1 ns after the creation of a plasma on aluminum target

Extreme ultraviolet interferometry measurements with high-order harmonics

We demonstrate that high-order harmonics generated by short, intense laser pulses in gases provide an interesting radiation source for extreme ultraviolet interferometry, since they are tunable, coherent, of short pulse duration, and simple to manipulate. Harmonics from the 9th to the 15th are used to measure the thickness of an aluminum layer. The 11th harmonic is used to determine the spatial distribution of the electron density of a plasma produced by a 300-ps laser. Electronic densities higher than 2-10(20) electrons/cm(3) are measured. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America. OCIS codes: 190.0190, 190.4160, 190.7110, 120.3180, 140.7240, 350.4500

Generation of attosecond x-ray pulses with a multi-cycle two-color ESASE scheme

Generation of attosecond x-ray pulses is attracting much attention within the x-ray free-electron laser (FEL) user community. Several schemes have been proposed based on manipulations of electron bunches with extremely short laser pulses. In this paper, we extend the attosecond two-color ESASE scheme proposed by Zholents et al. to the long optical cycle regime using a detuned second laser and a tapered undulator. Both lasers can be about ten-optical-cycles long, with the second laser frequency detuned from the first one to optimize the contrast between the central and side current spikes. A tapered undulator mitigates the degradation effect of the longitudinal space charge (LSC) force in the undulator and suppresses the FEL gain of all side current spikes. Simulations using the LCLS parameters show a single attosecond x-ray spike of {approx} 110 attosecond can be produced with a good contrast ratio

XUV interferometry using high-order harmonics: Application to plasma diagnostics

In this paper, we present and compare the two different XUV interferometric techniques using high-order harmonics that have been developed so far. The first scheme is based on the interference between two spatially separated phase-locked harmonic sources while the second uses two temporally separated harmonic sources. These techniques have been applied to plasma diagnostics in feasibility experiments where electron densities up to a few 1020 e[minus sign/cm3 have been measured with a temporal resolution of 200 fs. We present the main characteristics of each technique and discuss their respective potentials and limitations

Enhanced high-harmonic generation from chromium-doped magnesium oxide

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) from crystals offers a new source of coherent extreme ultraviolet (XUV) attosecond radiation.Comment: Significant change of conten

Status of the SPARC-X Project

SPARC-X is a two branch project consisting in the SPARC test facility dedicated to the development and test of critical subsystems such as high brightness photoinjector and a modular expandable undulator for SASE-FEL experiments at 500 nm with seeding, and the SPARX facility aiming at generation of high brilliance coherent radiation in the 1.5-13 nm range, based on the achieved expertise. The projects are supported by MIUR (Research Department of Italian Government) and Regione Lazio. SPARC has completed the commissioning phase of the photoinjector in November 2006. The achieved experimental results are here summarized together with the status of the second phase commissioning plans. The SPARX project is based on the generation of ultra high peak brightness electron beams at the energy of 1 and 2 GeV generating radiation in the 1.5-13 nm range. The construction is at the moment planned in two steps starting with a 1 GeV Linac. The project layout including both RF-compression and magnetic chicane techniques has been studied