Mina Bionta

X-ray–optical cross-correlator for gas-phase experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source free-electron laser

X-ray–optical pump–probe experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) have so far been limited to a time resolution of 280 fs fwhm due to timing jitter between the accelerator-based free-electron laser (FEL) and optical lasers. We have implemented a single-shot cross-correlator for femtosecond x-ray and infrared pulses. A reference experiment relying only on the pulse arrival time information from the cross-correlator shows a time resolution better than 50 fs fwhm (22 fs rms) and also yields a direct measurement of the maximal x-ray pulse length. The improved time resolution enables ultrafast pump–probe experiments with x-ray pulses from LCLS and other FEL sources.

Nanoscale spin reversal by non-local angular momentum transfer following ultrafast laser excitation in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo

Ultrafast laser techniques have revealed extraordinary spin dynamics in magnetic materials that equilibrium descriptions of magnetism cannot explain. Particularly important for future applications is understanding non-equilibrium spin dynamics following laser excitation on the nanoscale, yet the limited spatial resolution of optical laser techniques has impeded such nanoscale studies. Here we present ultrafast diffraction experiments with an X-ray laser that probes the nanoscale spin dynamics following optical laser excitation in the ferrimagnetic alloy GdFeCo, which exhibits macroscopic all-optical switching. Our study reveals that GdFeCo displays nanoscale chemical and magnetic inhomogeneities that affect the spin dynamics. In particular, we observe Gd spin reversal in Gd-rich nanoregions within the first picosecond driven by the non-local transfer of angular momentum from larger adjacent Fe-rich nanoregions. These results suggest that a magnetic materials microstructure can be engineered to control transient laser-excited spins, potentially allowing faster (~ 1 ps) spin reversal than in present technologies.

Spectral encoding of x-ray/optical relative delay.

We present a new technique for measuring the relative delay between a soft x-ray FEL pulse and an optical laser that indicates a sub 25 fs RMS measurement error. An ultra-short x-ray pulse photo-ionizes a semiconductor (Si(3)N(4)) membrane and changes the optical transmission. An optical continuum pulse with a temporally chirped bandwidth spanning 630 nm-710 nm interacts with the membrane such that the timing of the x-ray pulse can be determined from the onset of the spectral modulation of the transmitted optical pulse. This experiment demonstrates a nearly in situ single-shot measurement of the x-ray pulse arrival time relative to the ultra-short optical pulse.

Femtosecond optical/hard X-ray timing diagnostics at an FEL: implementation and performance

The development of Free Electron Lasers has opened the possibility to investigate ultrafast processes using femtosecond hard x-ray pulses. In optical/x-ray light pump/probe experiments, however, the time resolution is mainly limited by the ability to synchronize both light sources over a long distance (<100 fs FWHM) rather than their pulse length (<10 fs FWHM). We have implemented a spectrally encoding x-ray to optical laser timing diagnostic into the XPP beamline at LCLS with a timing uncertainty down to 10 fs. An x-ray induced change of refractive index in a solid target is temporally probed for single pulses by a chirped white light pulse [4]. By resorting single shot data to the timestamps obtained by the diagnostics, the temporal data quality can be improved to basically pulse length limited time resolution. By interchangable targets and adjustable x-ray and laser foci, the method was successfully applied for very different x-ray parameters. These are different photon energies in the range of 6-20 keV, which at LCLS also includes application of 3rd Harmonic radiation, pulse energy, and bandwidth, when using a Si(111) monochromator.

Laser-induced electron emission from a tungsten nanotip: identifying above threshold photoemission using energy-resolved laser power dependencies

We present an experiment studying the interaction of a strongly focused 25 fs laser pulse with a tungsten nanotip, investigating the different regimes of laser-induced electron emission. We study the dependence of the electron yield with respect to the static electric field applied to the tip. Photoelectron spectra are recorded using a retarding field spectrometer and peaks separated by the photon energy are observed with a 45% contrast. They are a clear signature of above threshold photoemission (ATP), and are confirmed by extensive spectrally resolved studies of the laser power dependence. Understanding these mechanisms opens the route to control experiment in the strong-field regime on nanoscale objects.

Spectral encoding based measurement of x-ray/optical relative delay to ~10 fs rms

A recently demonstrated single-shot measurement of the relative delay between x-ray FEL pulses and optical laser pulses has now been improved to ~10 fs rms error and has successfully been demonstrated for both soft and hard x-ray pulses. It is based on x-ray induced step-like reduction in optical transmissivity of a semiconductor membrane (Si3N4). The transmissivity is probed by an optical continuum spanning 450 - 650 nm where spectral chirp provides a mapping of the step in spectrum to the arrival time of the x-ray pulse relative to the optical laser system.

Wavelength and shape dependent strong-field photoemission from silver nanotips

We study optical field emission from silver nanotips, showing the combined influence of the illumination wavelength and the exact shape of the nanotip on the strong-field response. This is particularly relevant in the case of FIB milled nano tips, where the nanotip fabrication capabilities could become a new ingredient for the study of strong-field physics. The influence of the thermal load on the nanotip and its effect on the emission is studied as well by switching the repetition rate of the laser source from 1 kHz to 62 MHz, showing a clear transition towards the quenching of the strong-field emission.