Scaling and Gating Attosecond Pulse Generation
Author
Summary, in English
High-order harmonic generation (HHG) provides the basis for attosecond light sources delivering coherent pulses in the extreme ultraviolet spectral region. Such light sources are employed for a variety of applications within imaging, attosecond spectroscopy, and high-precision frequency metrology. However, the rather low efficiency of the HHG process, which implies a limited pulse energy and repetition rate, places restrictions on many applications.
In this thesis, the scaling of different parameters controlling the generation conditions for HHG in gases is analyzed. A general scaling model is developed, which allows scaling of the pulse energy and repetition rate of attosecond sources over many orders of magnitude, while maintaining temporal and spatial pulse characteristics. The scaling model is applied to different attosecond beam lines, which were developed and built as part of this thesis work. This includes a high-repetition rate (200\,kHz) beam line used for photoelectron emission microscopy applications, and an intense harmonic beam line delivering pulses with up to 3 µJ in the extreme ultraviolet, which was used for coherent imaging as well as for nonlinear spectroscopy applications.
In addition, microscopic sub-cycle control mechanisms based on multi-color field synthesis are studied, as well as noncollinear generation geometries. It is shown that a noncollinear geometry can be used to angularly streak attosecond pulse trains, allowing access to single pulses within the train. This technique is of interest for attosecond pump-probe measurements as well as for isolated attosecond pulse generation inside an optical cavity, a scheme that promises attosecond pulses at unprecedented power levels and repetition rates.
In this thesis, the scaling of different parameters controlling the generation conditions for HHG in gases is analyzed. A general scaling model is developed, which allows scaling of the pulse energy and repetition rate of attosecond sources over many orders of magnitude, while maintaining temporal and spatial pulse characteristics. The scaling model is applied to different attosecond beam lines, which were developed and built as part of this thesis work. This includes a high-repetition rate (200\,kHz) beam line used for photoelectron emission microscopy applications, and an intense harmonic beam line delivering pulses with up to 3 µJ in the extreme ultraviolet, which was used for coherent imaging as well as for nonlinear spectroscopy applications.
In addition, microscopic sub-cycle control mechanisms based on multi-color field synthesis are studied, as well as noncollinear generation geometries. It is shown that a noncollinear geometry can be used to angularly streak attosecond pulse trains, allowing access to single pulses within the train. This technique is of interest for attosecond pump-probe measurements as well as for isolated attosecond pulse generation inside an optical cavity, a scheme that promises attosecond pulses at unprecedented power levels and repetition rates.
Department/s
Publishing year
2014
Language
English
Publication/Series
LRAP 496 (2014)
Full text
- Available as PDF - 49 MB
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Document type
Dissertation
Publisher
Atomic Physics, Department of Physics, Lund University
Topic
- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
Keywords
- Coherent imaging
- Ultrafast electron dynamics
- Single attosecond pulses
- Attosecond pulse trains
- XUV sources
- High-order harmonic generation
- XUV frequency combs
- Fysicumarkivet A:2014:Heyl
Status
Published
Supervisor
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0281-2762
- ISBN: 978-91-7623-158-6
Defence date
12 December 2014
Defence time
10:15
Defence place
Rydbergs Lecture Hall, Fysiska institutionen, Professorsgatan 1, Lund University, Faculty of Engineering, LTH.
Opponent
- Reinhard Kienberger (Prof.)