H. Ohashi

Second-order autocorrelation of XUV FEL pulses via time resolved two-photon single ionization of He

Second-order autocorrelation spectra of XUV free-electron laser pulses from the Spring-8 Compact SASE Source (SCSS) have been recorded by time and momentum resolved detection of two-photon single ionization of He at 20.45 eV using a split-mirror delay-stage in combination with high-resolution recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy (COLTRIMS). From the autocorrelation trace we extract a coherence time of 8 ± 2 fs and a mean pulse duration of 28 ± 5 fs, much shorter than estimations based on electron bunch-length measurements. Simulations within the partial coherence model [Opt. Lett. 35, 3441 (2010)] are in agreement with experiment if a pulse-front tilt across the FEL beam diameter is taken into account that leads to a temporal shift of about 6 fs between both pulse replicas.

1-km beamline at SPring-8

A one-kilometer long synchrotron radiation beamline with an x- ray undulator source was completed at SPring-8. The beamline was planned to facilitate various applications of a wide-area coherent x-ray beam, development of bi-crystal x-ray interferometers for gravitational red-shift measurement and development of highly sensitive diagnostic methods of accelerator dynamics. This paper reports the structure of the long beamline as well as some selected first results including phase contrast imaging and diffraction imaging applications.

Multiple ionization of atomic argon irradiated by EUV free-electron laser pulses at 62 nm: evidence of sequential electron strip

We have investigated multiple ionization of atomic argon by extreme-ultraviolet light pulses (62 nm, 100 fs in width, <2 × 1014 W cm−2) at the free-electron laser facility in Japan, and observed highly charged ions with the charge state up to +6. The measured laser power dependence of the highly charged ions indicates that the multiple ionization proceeds via the sequential stripping of electrons.

Ion momentum spectroscopy of N2 and O2 molecules irradiated by EUV free-electron laser pulses

We have investigated dissociative ionization of N2 and O2 molecules by 52 nm extreme-ultraviolet light pulses at the free-electron laser facility in Japan. Distributions of kinetic energy release were measured at two different laser power densities below 3 × 1013 W cm−2 and intermediate and final states of the sequential two photon transitions were identified.

Photoelectron spectroscopy of sequential three-photon double ionization of Ar irradiated by EUV free-electron laser pulses

We have investigated the ionization of the Ar atom by 51 nm extreme-ultraviolet light pulses at the free-electron laser facility, SPring-8 Compact SASE Source test accelerator, in Japan. The angle-resolved photoelectron spectra contain lines due to sequential three-photon double ionization with the second ionization step proceeding via the resonantly enhanced two-photon absorption. The relative intensities of the corresponding photoelectron peaks and their angular dependence are explained in the framework of a three-step model of the process.

Inhomogeneous charge redistribution in Xe clusters exposed to an intense extreme ultraviolet free electron laser

The emission of highly charged ions from Xe clusters exposed to intense extreme ultraviolet laser pulses (λ ~ 52 nm) from the free electron laser in Japan was investigated using ion momentum spectroscopy. With increasing average cluster size, we observed multiply charged ions Xez + up to z = 3. From kinetic energy distributions, we found that multiply charged ions were generated near the cluster surface. Our results suggest that charges are inhomogeneously redistributed in the cluster to lower the total energy stored in the clusters.

Unusual under-threshold ionization of neon clusters studied by ion spectroscopy

We carried out time-of-flight mass spectrometry for neon clusters that were exposed to intense free electron laser pulses with the wavelength of 62 nm, which induce optical transition from the ground state (2s 2 2p 6 ) to an excited state (2s 2 2p 5 nl ) in the Ne atoms. In contrast to Ne + ions produced by two-photon absorption from isolated Ne atoms, the Ne + ion yield from Ne clusters shows a linear dependence on the laser intensity (I). We discuss the ionization mechanisms which give the linear behaviour with respect to I and expected features in the electron emission spectrum. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)

Photoelectron angular distributions for the two-photon sequential double ionization of xenon by ultrashort extreme ultraviolet free electron laser pulses

Xenon atoms are double-ionized by sequential two-photon absorption by ultrashort extreme ultraviolet free-electron laser pulses with a photon energy of 23.0 and 24.3 eV, produced by the SPring-8 Compact SASE Source test accelerator. The angular distributions of photoelectrons generated by two-photon double ionization are obtained using velocity map imaging. The results are reproduced reasonably well by the present theoretical calculations within the multi-configurational Dirac-Fock approach.

Photoelectron angular distributions for the two-photon ionization of helium by ultrashort extreme ultraviolet free-electron laser pulses

The two-photon ionization of helium atoms by ultrashort extreme-ultraviolet free-electron laser pulses, produced by the SPring-8 Compact SASE Source test accelerator, was investigated at photon energies of 20.3, 21.3, 23.0 and 24.3 eV. The angular distribution of photoelectrons generated by two-photon ionization is obtained using a velocity map imaging spectrometer. The phase-shift differences and amplitude ratios of the outgoing s and d continuum wave packets are extracted from the photoelectron angular distributions. The obtained values of the phase-shift differences are distinct from scattering phase-shift differences when the photon energy is tuned to a resonance with an excited level or Rydberg manifold. The difference stems from the co-presence of resonant and non-resonant path contributions in the two-photon ionization by femtosecond pulses. Since the relative contribution of both paths can be controlled in principle by the pulse shape, these results illustrate a new way to tailor the continuum wave packet.

Frustration of photoionization of Ar nanoplasma produced by extreme ultraviolet FEL pulses

We report on the laser power dependence of photoabsorptions of Ar clusters irradiated by extreme ultraviolet–free electron laser (EUV–FEL) at the wavelength of 62 nm. We measured kinetic energy distributions of fragment ions with our ion momentum spectrometer. From the measured kinetic energy distributions, we estimated charge states of irradiated Ar clusters using the classical uniformly charged sphere model. Our results show that the EUV–FEL irradiation of Ar clusters results in the frustration of direct photoionization leading to nanoplasma formation and subsequent strong electron–ion charge recombination.