0000000000003878
AUTHOR
David Ros
High-brilliance double-stage soft x-ray laser pumped by multiple pulses applied in grazing incidence
A new compact scheme for a double-stage seeded x-ray laser is demonstrated. This laser is offering greatly improved beam quality and brilliance making it a useful tool for applications.
An Improved Double-Pulse Non-Normal Incidence Pumping Geometry for Transient Collisionally Excited Soft X-Ray Lasers
An optimized pumping geometry for transient collisionally excited soft X-ray lasers is presented, similar to the geometry proposed by [1]. In contrast to usual approaches, where a nanosecond pre-pulse is assumed to provide the optimal plasma preparation and a picosecond pulse performs the final heating- and excitation process, two pulses of equal duration in the range around 10 picoseconds are applied. Both pulses are produced in the front end of the CPA pump laser. They are focused onto the target with the same spherical mirror under non-normal incidence geometry, optimized for efficient traveling wave excitation for the main-pulse. A first experiment was performed on Ni-like palladium (14…
Double-pulse single-beam grazing-incidence pumping
The paper reports on the optimization of a table-top nickel-like molybdenum transient collisionally excited soft x-ray laser (SXRL) at 18.9 nm, performed by double-pulse single beam grazing incidence pumping (DGRIP) [1]. This scheme allows for the first time the full control of the pump laser parameters including the pre-pulse duration, optimally generating the SXRL amplifier under grazing incidence. The single beam geometry of collinear double-pulse propagation guarantees the ideal overlap of the pre- and main pulse from shot to shot, resulting in a more efficient, highly stable SXRL output. SXRL energies up to 2.2 µJ are obtained with a total pump energy less than 1 J for several hours at…
Short-wavelength soft-x-ray laser pumped in double-pulse single-beam non-normal incidence
We demonstrated a $7.36$ nm Ni-like samarium soft-x-ray laser, pumped by $36$ J of a neodymium:glass chirped-pulse amplification laser. Double-pulse single-beam non-normal-incidence pumping was applied for efficient soft-x-ray laser generation. In this case, the applied technique included a single-optic focusing geometry for large beam diameters, a single-pass grating compressor, traveling-wave tuning capability, and an optimized high-energy laser double pulse. This scheme has the potential for even shorter-wavelength soft-x-ray laser pumping.
Towards high photon-number soft x-ray lasers
We present an experimental design to independently pump two soft X-ray laser media suitable for a seed-amplifier configuration. Both the seed and the amplifier target are operated in the TCE scheme utilizing the DGRIP technique with its intrinsic travelling wave excitation. Controlled injection of the seed X-ray laser into the amplifier medium is realized via a spherical XUV mirror. The experimental design is perfectly appropriate for benchmarking combined simulations of the ARWEN and DeepOne code. A first experiment at the PHELIX laser utilizing this scheme has been conducted, demonstrating signs of amplification and allowing for the direct measurement of the gain life time of a Ni-like si…
Transient collisionally excited X-ray laser in nickel-like zirconium pumped with the PHELIX laser facility
A transient collisionally excited X-ray laser has been put into operation using the front end of the PHELIX laser system as a pump laser. Strong lasing at 22 nm has been observed in nickel-like zirconium.
LASERIX: an open facility for developments of Soft X-ray and EUV lasers and applications
In this paper we report the perspectives of the development of the XUV laser sources and applications using High-power laser facilities. We focus our paper on the present status of the French LASERIX facility and more especially about its role in the development of the XUV laser sources considering the French "Institut de la Lumiere Extreme " (ILE) and the potential European project Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI). Finally, we present the scientific perspectives of X-ray laser sources developments using these laser facilities.
Stable and long-time operation of a soft x-ray laser for user applications experiments
LASERIX is a high-power laser facility leading to High-repetition-rate XUV laser pumped by Titanium:Sapphire laser. The aim of this laser facility is to offer Soft XRLs in the 30-7 nm range and auxiliary IR beam that could also be used to produce synchronized XUV sources. This experimental configuration highly enhances the scientific opportunities of the facility, giving thus the opportunity to realize both X-ray laser experiments and more generally pump/probe experiments, mixing IR and XUV sources. In this contribution, the main results concerning both the development of XUV sources(X-Ray lasers and HHG sources) and their use for applications are presented.
Demonstration of an efficient pumping scheme for a 7.36-nm Ni-like samarium soft x-ray laser
The demonstration of a 7.36 nm Ni-like Sm soft x-ray laser pumped by 36 J of a Nd:glass chirped pulse amplification laser is presented. Double-pulse single-beam non-normal incidence pumping was applied for the efficient soft x-ray laser generation. Here the applied technique included a new single optic focusing geometry for large beam diameters, a single-pass grating compressor traveling-wave tuning capability and an optimized high energy laser double-pulse. This scheme has the potential for even shorter wavelength soft x-ray laser pumping.
Characterization of a 10Hz double-pulse non-normal incidence pumped transient collisional Ni-like molybdenum soft x-ray laser for applications
Stable and reliable operation of a nickel-like molybdenum transient collisional soft x-ray laser at 18.9 nm demonstrated and studied with a 10Hz Ti:sapphire laser system proves the suitability of the double-pulse non-normal incidence pumping geometry for table-top high repetition soft x-ray lasers and broadens the attractiveness of x-ray lasers as sources of coherent radiation for various applications. X-ray laser emission with pulse energies well above 1 μJ is obtained for several hours at 10Hz repetition-rate without re-alignment under optimized double pumping pulse parameters including energy ratio, time delay, pulse duration and line focus width.
Gain lifetime measurement of a Ni-like Ag soft X-ray laser
International audience; Experimental results of a two-stage Ni-like Ag soft X-ray laser operated in a seed-amplifier configuration are presented. Both targets were pumped applying the double-pulse grazing incidence technique with intrinsic travelling wave excitation. The injection of the seed X-ray laser into the amplifier target was realized by a spherical mirror. The results show amplification of the seed X-ray laser and allow for a direct measurement of the gain lifetime. The experimental configuration is suitable for providing valuable input for computational simulations. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America
Laser XUV haute cadence pompé par laser Titane : Saphir, vers la station LASERIX
Nous presentons des resultats recents de laser X collisionnel transitoire pompe en incidence rasante a haut taux de repetition. Ils ont ete obtenus a partir du laser de pompe Titane:Saphir 30 TW disponible sur l'installation europeenne du LLC a Lund (Suede). Nous avons demontre lors de cette experience qu'il etait possible d'obtenir en routine pres de 3 microjoule par impulsion a 18,9nm avec seulement J d'energie de pompe infrarouge. Nous avons plus particulierement etudie l'influence de l'angle de rasance sur cible de l'impulsion laser qui vient pomper le plasma, quelques centaines de picosecondes apres la premiere impulsion responsable de sa creation. Un systeme d'imagerie XUV a haute res…
X-ray imaging of the heating zone of non-normal incidence pumped XRL plasma
Soft x-ray emission, above 600 eV, from a grazing incidence pumped Ni-like Mo x-ray laser (GRIP-XRL) [1] plasma was investigated. Using a pinhole camera looking along the target surface, perpendicular to the direction of the XRL emission, spatially-resolved information was obtained with a resolution which was limited only by the pinhole size of 10 μm. The relative distance from the target surface to the plasma zone heated by th e picosecond pulse was investigated for different GRIP angles, energy ratios and delays between the plasma producing and the plasma heating pulses.
A Non-Normal Incidence Pumped Ni-Like Zr XRL for Spectroscopy of Li-Like Heavy Ions at GSI/FAIR
One of the unique features of the PHELIX laser installation is the combination of the ultra-high intensity laser with the heavy-ion accelerator facility at GSI and its planned extension FAIR. Due to this combination, PHELIX will allow novel investigations in the fields of plasma physics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, and accelerator studies. An important issue within the scientific program is the generation of high quality x-ray laser beams for x-ray laser spectroscopy of highly-charged ions. The long range perspective is the study of nuclear properties of radioactive isotopes within the FAIR [1] project. A novel single mirror focusing scheme for the TCE XRL has been successfully impleme…
Perspectives of XUV sources development on LASERIX facility, ILE, and ELI
In this paper we present the perspectives of the development of the XUV laser sources using High-power laser facilities. We focus our paper on the present statuts of the LASERIX facility and especially its role in the development of the XUV laser sources considering the French "Institut de la Lumiere Extreme" (ILE) and the potential European project Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI).