Few-cycle pulse generation in an X-ray free-electron laser

David Dunning; Brian McNeil; Neil Thompson

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.104801

Few-cycle pulse generation in an X-ray free-electron laser

David Dunning, Brian McNeil, Neil Thompson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

72 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A method is proposed to generate trains of few-cycle x-ray pulses from a Free-Electron Laser (FEL) amplifier via a compact `afterburner' extension consisting of several few-period undulator sections separated by electron chicane delays. Simulations show that in the hard x-ray (wavelength 0.1 nm; photon energy 10 keV) and with peak powers approaching normal FEL saturation (GW) levels, root mean square pulse durations of 700 zeptoseconds may be obtained. This is approximately two orders of magnitude shorter than that possible for normal FEL amplifier operation. The spectrum is discretely multichromatic with a bandwidth envelope increased by approximately two orders of magnitude over un-seeded FEL amplifier operation. Such a source would significantly enhance research opportunity in atomic dynamics, and push capability towards nuclear dynamics.

Original language	English
Article number	104801
Number of pages	5
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	110
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.104801
Publication status	Published - 5 Mar 2013

Keywords

x-ray free-electron laser
few-cycle
pulse generation

Access to Document

10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.104801

Cite this

@article{35b672d8f89c4cdcae11fb00b95befec,

title = "Few-cycle pulse generation in an X-ray free-electron laser",

abstract = "A method is proposed to generate trains of few-cycle x-ray pulses from a Free-Electron Laser (FEL) amplifier via a compact `afterburner' extension consisting of several few-period undulator sections separated by electron chicane delays. Simulations show that in the hard x-ray (wavelength 0.1 nm; photon energy 10 keV) and with peak powers approaching normal FEL saturation (GW) levels, root mean square pulse durations of 700 zeptoseconds may be obtained. This is approximately two orders of magnitude shorter than that possible for normal FEL amplifier operation. The spectrum is discretely multichromatic with a bandwidth envelope increased by approximately two orders of magnitude over un-seeded FEL amplifier operation. Such a source would significantly enhance research opportunity in atomic dynamics, and push capability towards nuclear dynamics.",

keywords = "x-ray free-electron laser, few-cycle, pulse generation",

author = "David Dunning and Brian McNeil and Neil Thompson",

year = "2013",

month = mar,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.104801",

language = "English",

volume = "110",

journal = "Physical Review Letters",

issn = "0031-9007",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Few-cycle pulse generation in an X-ray free-electron laser

AU - Dunning, David

AU - McNeil, Brian

AU - Thompson, Neil

PY - 2013/3/5

Y1 - 2013/3/5

N2 - A method is proposed to generate trains of few-cycle x-ray pulses from a Free-Electron Laser (FEL) amplifier via a compact `afterburner' extension consisting of several few-period undulator sections separated by electron chicane delays. Simulations show that in the hard x-ray (wavelength 0.1 nm; photon energy 10 keV) and with peak powers approaching normal FEL saturation (GW) levels, root mean square pulse durations of 700 zeptoseconds may be obtained. This is approximately two orders of magnitude shorter than that possible for normal FEL amplifier operation. The spectrum is discretely multichromatic with a bandwidth envelope increased by approximately two orders of magnitude over un-seeded FEL amplifier operation. Such a source would significantly enhance research opportunity in atomic dynamics, and push capability towards nuclear dynamics.

AB - A method is proposed to generate trains of few-cycle x-ray pulses from a Free-Electron Laser (FEL) amplifier via a compact `afterburner' extension consisting of several few-period undulator sections separated by electron chicane delays. Simulations show that in the hard x-ray (wavelength 0.1 nm; photon energy 10 keV) and with peak powers approaching normal FEL saturation (GW) levels, root mean square pulse durations of 700 zeptoseconds may be obtained. This is approximately two orders of magnitude shorter than that possible for normal FEL amplifier operation. The spectrum is discretely multichromatic with a bandwidth envelope increased by approximately two orders of magnitude over un-seeded FEL amplifier operation. Such a source would significantly enhance research opportunity in atomic dynamics, and push capability towards nuclear dynamics.

KW - x-ray free-electron laser

KW - few-cycle

KW - pulse generation

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.104801

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.104801

M3 - Letter

SN - 0031-9007

VL - 110

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

IS - 10

M1 - 104801

ER -

Few-cycle pulse generation in an X-ray free-electron laser

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this