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- Title
A high-intensity highly coherent soft X-ray femtosecond laser seeded by a high harmonic beam.
- Authors
Zeltoun, Ph.; Faivre, G.; Sebban, S.; Mocek, T.; Hallou, A.; Fajardo, M.; Aubert, D.; Balcou, Ph.; Burgy, F.; Douillet, O.; Kazamias, S.; de Lachèze-Murel, G.; Lefrou, T.; Le Pape, S.; Mercére, P.; Merdji, H.; Morlens, A. S.; Rousseau, J. P.; Valentin, C.
- Abstract
Synchrotrons have for decades provided invaluable sources of soft X-rays, the application of which has led to significant progress in many areas of science and technology. But future applications of soft X-rays-in structural biology, for example-anticipate the need for pulses with much shorter duration (femtoseconds) and much higher energy (millijoules) than those delivered by synchrotrons. Soft X-ray free-electron lasers should fulfil these requirements but will be limited in number; the pressure on beamtime is therefore likely to be considerable. Laser-driven soft X-ray sources offer a comparatively inexpensive and widely available alternative, but have encountered practical bottlenecks in the quest for high intensities. Here we establish and characterize a soft X-ray laser chain that shows how these bottlenecks can in principle be overcome. By combining the high optical quality available from high-harmonic laser sources (as a seed beam) with a highly energetic soft X-ray laser plasma amplifier, we produce a tabletop soft X-ray femtosecond laser operating at 10?Hz and exhibiting full saturation, high energy, high coherence and full polarization. This technique should be readily applicable on all existing laser-driven soft X-ray facilities.
- Publication
Nature, 2004, Vol 431, Issue 7007, p426
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Academic Journal
- DOI
10.1038/nature02883