Richard A. London

Femtosecond diffractive imaging with a soft-X-ray free-electron laser

Theory predicts1,2,3,4 that, with an ultrashort and extremely bright coherent X-ray pulse, a single diffraction pattern may be recorded from a large macromolecule, a virus or a cell before the sample explodes and turns into a plasma. Here we report the first experimental demonstration of this principle using the FLASH soft-X-ray free-electron laser. An intense 25 fs, 4×1013 W cm−2 pulse, containing 1012 photons at 32 nm wavelength, produced a coherent diffraction pattern from a nanostructured non-periodic object, before destroying it at 60,000 K. A novel X-ray camera assured single-photon detection sensitivity by filtering out parasitic scattering and plasma radiation. The reconstructed image, obtained directly from the coherent pattern by phase retrieval through oversampling5,6,7,8,9, shows no measurable damage, and is reconstructed at the diffraction-limited resolution. A three-dimensional data set may be assembled from such images when copies of a reproducible sample are exposed to the beam one by one10.

Atomic inner-shell X-ray laser at 1.46 nanometres pumped by an X-ray free-electron laser

Since the invention of the laser more than 50 years ago, scientists have striven to achieve amplification on atomic transitions of increasingly shorter wavelength. The introduction of X-ray free-electron lasers makes it possible to pump new atomic X-ray lasers with ultrashort pulse duration, extreme spectral brightness and full temporal coherence. Here we describe the implementation of an X-ray laser in the kiloelectronvolt energy regime, based on atomic population inversion and driven by rapid K-shell photo-ionization using pulses from an X-ray free-electron laser. We established a population inversion of the Kα transition in singly ionized neon at 1.46 nanometres (corresponding to a photon energy of 849 electronvolts) in an elongated plasma column created by irradiation of a gas medium. We observed strong amplified spontaneous emission from the end of the excited plasma. This resulted in femtosecond-duration, high-intensity X-ray pulses of much shorter wavelength and greater brilliance than achieved with previous atomic X-ray lasers. Moreover, this scheme provides greatly increased wavelength stability, monochromaticity and improved temporal coherence by comparison with present-day X-ray free-electron lasers. The atomic X-ray lasers realized here may be useful for high-resolution spectroscopy and nonlinear X-ray studies.

Hydrodynamics of exploding foil x‐ray lasers

An accurate simple model for the hydrodynamics of laser heated exploding foils is presented. Particular emphasis is given to applications in the design of soft x‐ray lasers. The model predicts the conditions in the foil plasma (e.g., temperature, density, and scale length), given the experimental parameters (e.g., optical laser intensity, laser pulse duration, target thickness, and target composition). The simple model is based on an isothermal, homogeneous expansion similarity solution of the ideal hydrodynamic equations. Both analytical and numerical solutions of the similarity equations are studied. The numerical solutions agree closely with computational hydrodynamic simulations at times of interest—after the laser burns through the foil. Analytic solutions for constant intensity laser irradiation provide useful power‐law scaling relations between the input laser and target parameters and the plasma variables. The simple model is a powerful design tool that reproduces the essential results of more expensive and time‐consuming simulations over a large and important range of parameter space.

Supernova hydrodynamics experiments on the Nova laser

In studying complex astrophysical phenomena such as supernovae, one does not have the luxury of setting up clean, well-controlled experiments in the universe to test the physics of current models and theories. Consequently, creating a surrogate environment to serve as an experimental astrophysics testbed would be highly beneficial. The existence of highly sophisticated, modern research lasers, developed largely as a result of the world-wide effort in inertial confinement fusion, opens a new potential for creating just such an experimental testbed utilizing well-controlled, well-diagnosed laser-produced plasmas. Two areas of physics critical to an understanding of supernovae are discussed that are amenable to supporting research on large lasers: (1) compressible nonlinear hydrodynamic mixing and (2) radiative shock hydrodynamics.

Tabletop X-ray Lasers

Details of schemes for two tabletop size x‐ray lasers that require a high‐intensity short‐pulse driving laser are discussed. The first is based on rapid recombination following optical‐field ionization. Analytical and numerical calculations of the output properties are presented. Propagation in the confocal geometry is discussed and a solution for x‐ray lasing in Li‐like N at 247 A is described. Since the calculated gain coefficient depends strongly on the electron temperature, the methods of calculating electron heating following field ionization are discussed. Recent experiments aimed at demonstrating lasing in H‐like Li at 135 A are discussed along with modeling results. The second x‐ray laser scheme is based on the population inversion obtained during inner‐shell photoionization by hard x rays. This approach has significantly higher‐energy requirements, but lasing occurs at very short wavelengths (λ≤15 A). Experiments that are possible with existing lasers are discussed.

Short wavelength x-ray laser research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory*

Laboratory x‐ray lasers are currently being studied by researchers worldwide. This paper reviews some of the recent work carried out at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Laser action has been demonstrated at wavelengths as short as 35.6 A while saturation of the small signal gain has been observed with longer wavelength schemes. Some of the most successful schemes to date have been collisionally pumped x‐ray lasers that use the thermal electron distribution within a laser‐produced plasma to excite electrons from closed shells in neon‐ and nickel‐like ions to metastable levels in the next shell. Attempts to quantify and improve the longitudinal and transverse coherence of collisionally pumped x‐ray lasers are motivated by the desire to produce sources for specific applications. Toward this goal there is a large effort underway to enhance the power output of the Ni‐like Ta x‐ray laser at 44.83 A as a source for x‐ray imaging of live cells. Improving the efficiency of x‐ray lasers in order to produce s...

National Ignition Campaign Hohlraum energetics

The first series of experiments of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [E. I. Moses et al., Phys. Plasmas 16, 041006 (2009)] tested ignition Hohlraum “energetics,” a term described by four broad goals: (1) measurement of laser absorption by the Hohlraum; (2) measurement of the x-ray radiation flux (TRAD4) on the surrogate ignition capsule; (3) quantitative understanding of the laser absorption and resultant x-ray flux; and (4) determining whether initial Hohlraum performance is consistent with requirements for ignition. This paper summarizes the status of NIF Hohlraum energetics experiments. The Hohlraum targets and experimental design are described, as well as the results of the initial experiments. The data demonstrate low backscattered energy (<10%) for Hohlraums filled with helium gas. A discussion of our current understanding of NIF Hohlraum x-ray drive follows, including an overview of the computational tools, i.e., radiation-hydrodynamics codes that have been used to design the Hohlraums. The perf...

Unified model of secondary electron cascades in diamond

In this article we present a detailed and unified theoretical treatment of secondary electron cascades that follow the absorption of x-ray photons. A Monte Carlo model has been constructed that treats in detail the evolution of electron cascades induced by photoelectrons and by Auger electrons following inner shell ionizations. Detailed calculations are presented for cascades initiated by electron energies between 0.1 and 10keV. The present article expands our earlier work [B. Ziaja, D. van der Spoel, A. Szoke, and J. Hajdu, Phys. Rev. B 64, 214104 (2001), Phys. Rev. B 66, 024116 (2002)] by extending the primary energy range, by improving the treatment of secondary electrons, especially at low electron energies, by including ionization by holes, and by taking into account their coupling to the crystal lattice. The calculations describe the three-dimensional evolution of the electron cloud, and monitor the equivalent instantaneous temperature of the free electron gas as the system cools. The dissipation of...Secondary electron cascades are responsible for significant ionizations in macroscopic samples during irradiation with X-rays. A quantitative analysis of these cascades is needed, e.g. for assessing damage in optical components at X-ray free-electron lasers, and for understanding damage in samples exposed to the beam. Here we present results from Monte Carlo simulations, showing the space-time evolution of secondary electron cascades in diamond. These cascades follow the impact of a single primary electron at energies between 0.5 − 12 keV, representing the usual range for photoelectrons. The calculations describe the secondary ionizations caused by these electrons, the three-dimensional evolution of the electron cloud, and monitor the equivalent instantaneous temperature of the free-electron gas as the system cools during expansion. The dis-sipation of the impact energy proceeds predominantly through the production of secondary electrons whose energies are comparable to the binding energies of the valence (40 − 50 eV) and the core electrons (300 eV) in accordance with experiments and the models of interactions. The electron cloud generated by a 12 keV electron is strongly anisotropic in the early phases of the cascade (t ≤ 1 fs). At later times, the sample is dominated by low energy electrons, and these are scattered more isotropically by atoms in the sample. The results show that 1 the emission of secondary electrons approaches saturation within about 100 fs, following the primary impact. At an impact energy of 12 keV, the total number of electrons liberated in the sample is ≤ 400 at 1000 fs. The results provide an understanding of ionizations by photoelectrons, and extend earlier models on low-energy electron cascades (E = 0.25 keV, [1, 2]) to the higher energy regime of the photoelectrons. In atomic or molecular samples exposed to X-ray radiation damage occurs. In light elements it proceeds mainly via the photoelectric effect. Photoelectrons and Auger electrons [3] are then emitted. They propagate through the sample, and cause further damage by excitations of secondary electrons. Photoelectrons released by X-rays of ∼ 1 ˚ A wavelength (∼ 12 keV) are fast, v ∼ 660Å/fs, and they can escape from small samples early in an exposure. In contrast, Auger electrons are slow (v ∼ 95Å/fs in carbon), so they remain longer in a sample, and it is likely that they will thermalize there. An analysis of electron cascades initiated by Auger electrons in diamond is described in [2]. A detailed description of electron cascades …

Coherent X-ray diffractive imaging: applications and limitations.

The inversion of a diffraction pattern offers aberration-free diffraction-limited 3D images without the resolution and depth-of-field limitations of lens-based tomographic systems, the only limitation being radiation damage. We review our experimental results, discuss the fundamental limits of this technique and future plans.

Wavelength choice for soft x-ray laser holography of biological samples

The choice of an optimal wavelength for soft x-ray holography is discussed, based on a description of scattering by biological structures within an aqueous environment. We conclude that wavelengths slightly longer than the 43.7-A carbon K-edge provide a good trade off between minimizing the necessary source power and the dose absorbed by the sample and maximizing the penetrability of the x-rays through wet samples. This differs from the previous notion that wavelengths within the water window (between 23.2 A and 43.7 A) would be the best for holography. The problem of motion resulting from the absorption of x rays during a short exposure is described. The possibility of using ultrashort exposures in order to capture the image before motion can compromise the resolution is explored. The impact of these calculations on the question of the feasibility of using an x-ray laser for holography of biological structures is discussed.