Femtosecond all-optical synchronization of an X-ray free-electron laser

Schulz, Sebastian; Grguraš, Ivanka; Behrens, C.; Bromberger, Hubertus; Costello, J. T.; Czwalinna, Marie Kristin; Felber, M.; Hoffmann, Matthias C.; Ilchen, Markus; Liu, Haiyun; Mazza, Tommaso; Meyer, Michael; Pfeiffer, Sven; Prędki, Pawel; Schefer, S.; Schmidt, Christian; Wegner, U.; Schlarb, H.; Cavalieri, Adrian L.

doi:10.1038/ncomms6938

Cited by 189 publications

(121 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…These two independent sources are only linked by a common externally working synchronization system [76]. Although the synchronization has been improved tremendously during the last years <30 fs root mean square (rms) [77], the pulse-to-pulse arrival time fluctuations exceed very often the pulse durations of the two pulses. The analysis of electron spectra for many individual pulses provides direct information about the temporal stability and can be used as inherent time marker for time-resolved pump/probe experiments.…”

Section: Sideband Methods For X-ray Pulse Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrashort Free-Electron Laser X-ray Pulses

et al. 2017

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For the investigation of processes happening on the time scale of the motion of bound electrons, well-controlled X-ray pulses with durations in the few-femtosecond and even sub-femtosecond range are a necessary prerequisite. Novel free-electron lasers sources provide these ultrashort, high-brightness X-ray pulses, but their unique aspects open up concomitant challenges for their characterization on a suitable time scale. In this review paper we describe progress and results of recent work on ultrafast pulse characterization at soft and hard X-ray free-electron lasers. We report on different approaches to laser-assisted time-domain measurements, with specific focus on single-shot characterization of ultrashort X-ray pulses from self-amplified spontaneous emission-based and seeded free-electron lasers. The method relying on the sideband measurement of X-ray electron ionization in the presence of a dressing optical laser field is described first. When the X-ray pulse duration is shorter than half the oscillation period of the streaking field, few-femtosecond characterization becomes feasible via linear streaking spectroscopy. Finally, using terahertz fields alleviates the issue of arrival time jitter between streaking laser and X-ray pulse, but compromises the achievable temporal resolution. Possible solutions to these remaining challenges for single-shot, full time-energy characterization of X-ray free-electron laser pulses are proposed in the outlook at the end of the review.

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Section: Sideband Methods For X-ray Pulse Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrashort Free-Electron Laser X-ray Pulses

et al. 2017

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“…In order to characterize the timing stability of the synchronized FO pulses with respect to the FEL micropulses, a balanced optical cross-correlation method has been employed [14]. See Fig.…”

Section: A Principle Of Balanced Optical Cross-correlationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This method, applied so far to optical lasers [13,14], allows access to the absolute delay between accelerator-based and table-top light pulses with fs-accuracy. In this paper, we demonstrate the BOC concept employing a fs table-top near-IR laser synchronized with an IR FEL at the Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) using a low-jitter radio-frequency phaselocking system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Femtosecond single-shot timing and direct observation of subpulse formation in an infrared free-electron laser

Kiessling

Colson

Gewinner

et al. 2018

Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams

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We experimentally demonstrate a single-shot arrival time monitor for short picosecond infrared freeelectron laser (IR FEL) pulses based on balanced optical cross-correlation with a synchronized fs table-top laser. Employing this timing tool at the Fritz Haber Institute IR FEL, we observe a shot-to-shot timing jitter of only 100 fs and minute-scale timing drifts of a few picoseconds, the latter being strictly correlated with the electron beam energy of the accelerator. We acquire sum-frequency cross-correlation data with micropulse resolution, providing full access to the IR FEL pulse shape evolution within the macropulse. These measurements provide unprecedented insights into the occurrence of limit-cycle oscillations of the FEL intensity as a consequence of subpulse formation. Our experimental results are complemented by fourdimensional simulations of the nonlinear pulse dynamics in a low-gain FEL oscillator based on MaxwellLorentz theory.

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“…For each setting the FLASH single-shot pulse duration as well as the arrival time of the XUV pulses with respect to the THz generating optical (pump-probe) laser were measured. The FLASH1 pump-probe laser is optically synchronized to the FLASH master clock (Schulz et al, 2015). As one example, a recorded time sequence of 5 min (3000 pulses) is shown in Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

FLASH free-electron laser single-shot temporal diagnostic: terahertz-field-driven streaking

Ivanov

Liu

Brenner

et al. 2018

J Synchrotron Radiat

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The commissioning of a terahertz-field-driven streak camera installed at the free-electron laser (FEL) FLASH at DESY in Hamburg, being able to deliver photon pulse duration as well as arrival time information with $ 10 fs resolution for each single XUV FEL pulse, is reported. Pulse durations between 300 fs and <15 fs have been measured for different FLASH FEL settings. A comparison between the XUV pulse arrival time and the FEL electron bunch arrival time measured at the FLASH linac section exhibits a correlation width of 20 fs r.m.s., thus demonstrating the excellent operation stability of FLASH. In addition, the terahertz-streaking setup was operated simultaneously to an alternative method to determine the FEL pulse duration based on spectral analysis. FLASH pulse duration derived from simple spectral analysis is in good agreement with that from terahertz-streaking measurement.

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Femtosecond all-optical synchronization of an X-ray free-electron laser

Cited by 189 publications

References 45 publications

Ultrashort Free-Electron Laser X-ray Pulses

Ultrashort Free-Electron Laser X-ray Pulses

Femtosecond single-shot timing and direct observation of subpulse formation in an infrared free-electron laser

FLASH free-electron laser single-shot temporal diagnostic: terahertz-field-driven streaking

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