We have been developing a transmission soft x-ray microscope utilizing Wolter mirrors at a soft x-ray beamline of SACLA. We upgraded the soft x-ray microscope to enable simultaneous visible light imaging and soft x-ray imaging. To achieve this, we divided the annular apertures of the condenser and objective Wolter mirrors into two sections, allowing for soft x-ray imaging with one part and visible light imaging with the other. Our microscopy allows imaging cells with fluorescent labels by visible light while observing them with water window soft x-rays, which is useful for studying living cells.
KEYWORDS: X-rays, Mirrors, Signal detection, Optical properties, Signal intensity, Nonlinear optics, X-ray lasers, Signal generators, Free electron lasers
We have developed a two-stage soft X-ray focusing system at BL1 of SACLA. The system consists of two free-form mirrors, a ring focusing mirror and a quasi ellipsoidal mirror. Soft X-rays with photon energies around 120 eV can be focused down to φ350 nm. By using its unique intensity pattern after focusing, we propose a background-free signal detection method for extremely low optical signals such as SHG of soft X-ray.
Irradiation effects of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) induced by femtosecond-pulsed extreme ultraviolet (EUV) were investigated using Soft X-ray free electron laser (SXFEL) for realization of next generation extreme ultraviolet free electron laser (EUV-FEL) lithography. The sensitivity of PMMA upon exposure to femtosecond-pulsed SXFEL was much higher than that measured for conventional nanosecond-pulsed EUV source. The sensitivity enhancement upon exposure to femtosecond-pulsed SXFEL is similar to the result obtained using laser-induced-plasma based Soft X-ray laser (SXRL) (picosecond-pulsed EUV). This result speculates the reactions induced by femtosecond-pulsed SXFEL and picosecond-pulsed XRL were almost same, but it was different from those induced by nanosecond-pulsed EUV.
We evaluated laser-induced damage thresholds (LIDTs) on silica glasses by two kinds of ultra-short soft X-ray laser pulses (13.5 nm, 70 fs, and 13.9 nm, 7 ps). The comparison of our experimental results and the reported values observed by nanosecond soft X-ray pulse revealed a pulse width dependence of LIDTs on silica glasses in the soft X-ray region. The relationship between the pulse width and LIDTs provided valuable discussions of the laser-induced damage mechanism.
This paper presents the designs and simulations of twin Wolter mirrors for focusing and imaging experiments with soft Xray free electron lasers. Wave-optical simulations at a photon energy of 100 eV indicate that the designed focusing Wolter mirror focuses soft X-ray beams to a 300 nm × 200 nm spot with an acceptable rotational error of 1.7 mrad × 1.4 mrad and that the objective Wolter mirror, which receives the beam that passes through the focusing Wolter mirror and a sample, forms bright-field images with a spatial resolution of 140 nm × 140 nm. The focusing Wolter mirror enables long-term experiments with high stability, and the objective Wolter mirror is applicable to imaging-before-destruction.
The absolute power of the Linac Coherent Light Source pulses has been measured accurately in the hard X-ray beamline by using simultaneously two detectors: an X-ray Gas Monitor Detector (XGMD) in tandem with a radiometer. From these measurements, we were also able to characterize and calibrate in details our sets of beamline attenuators, in addition to extending an absolute calibration for our beamline intensity monitors. Similarly, we demonstrate that commercial optical power meter has a response in the hard X-ray regime, that can be cross-correlated with the absolute power of the LCLS beam.
The Photon Arrival and Length Monitor (PALM), a THz streak camera device developed by PSI for non-destructive hard x-ray measurements of photon pulse length and arrival time versus a pump laser[1], was brought to the SACLA XFEL[2] in Japan in a cross-calibration temporal diagnostics campaign after an initial experiment where only the PALM was being used[3]. The device was used with 9 keV pink beam and a 9.0 and 8.8 keV two-color mode, successfully measuring the temporal ifnromation of the pulses for several different FEL operating conditions. The most interesting achievement is the PALM’s ability to measure two arrival times of the two colorors as tey are shifted against each other by the FEL, opening up new possibilities in temporal accuracy for two-color experiments. SwissFEL will employ two such devices at the end stations for use by both operators and experimenters to improve the operation of the FEL and to better interpret experimental data.
References
[1]P. N. Juranić et. al, Journal of Instrumentation (2014) 9.
[2]T. Ishikawa et. al., Nature Photonics (2012) 6(8).
[3] P. N. Juranić et. al., Optics Express (2014) 22.
SACLA was inaugurated in March 2012 with two beamlines: BL3 for hard X-ray FEL and BL1 for wide range spontaneous emission. To enhance the research opportunities in soft X-ray region, the SCSS test accelerator, which was a prototype linac of SACLA and decommissioned in 2013, was upgraded, relocated to the SACLA undulator hall, and connected to BL1. The commissioning of this upgraded BL1 had been started from September in 2015, and user operation was started from June 2016. Currently, SASE-FEL pulses in the photon energy range of 20 to 150 eV are available and average pulse energy is about 70 μJ at 100 eV. We are developing beam diagnostic systems such as an arrival timing diagnostics between the SXFEL and the synchronized optical laser. We have further upgrade plans of the accelerator and the beamline. In this presentation, I will report the latest status and future upgrade plans of this beamline.
We present an optical design of a new focusing system for soft x-ray free electron lasers. The system is based on a two-staged focusing configuration that combines a Kirkpatrick-Baez focusing system with an ellipsoidal mirror so as to produce a sub-1-μm focal spot. A wave-optical simulation indicates that the power density at the focus exceeds 1018 W/cm2, which enables us to access exotic interactions between soft x-rays and matters.
This article reports the progress in the beamlines at the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free electron LAser (SACLA). The beamline optical and diagnostics systems have been upgraded to further accelerate the scientific applications of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs). End-station instruments have also been developed to provide user-friendly experimental platforms which allow efficient data collection. Along with the upgrades of beamlines and experimental stations, we have established reliable and efficient procedures of the beamline operation.
KEYWORDS: Free electron lasers, X-rays, Hard x-rays, Prototyping, Extreme ultraviolet, Electron beams, Synchrotron radiation, X-ray optics, Alternate lighting of surfaces, Current controlled current source
SACLA was inaugurated in March 2012 with two beamlines: BL3 for hard X-ray FEL and BL1 for wide range spontaneous emission. Currently, all user experiments have been performed at BL3 and BL2 that was constructed as the second hard XFEL beamline. To enhance research opportunities with softer X-ray FEL, we decided to relocate the SCSS test accelerator, which was a prototype of SACLA and decommissioned in 2013, to the SACLA undulator hall, to connect to BL1, and to generate EUV and soft X-ray FEL independently of the SACLA linac.
In addition, we started commissioning of the upgraded BL1 in September 2015, and successfully observe SASE lasing at a photon energy of 36 eV in October. We are now constructing the end station, and will start commissioning in June 2016. We will install two C-band accelerator units that increase an electron beam energy up to 750 MeV with a photon energy up to 100 eV in the summer of 2016. In this presentation, I will report the latest status of the beamline.
SwissFEL is the Free Electron Laser (FEL) facility under construction at the Paul Scherrer institute (PSI), aiming to provide users with X-ray pulses of lengths down to 2 femtoseconds at standard operation. The measurement of the length of the FEL pulses and their arrival time relative to the experimental laser is crucial for the pump-probe experiments carried out in such facilities. This work presents a new device that measures hard X-ray FEL pulses based on the THz streak camera concept. It describes the prototype setup called pulse arrival and length monitor (PALM) developed at PSI and tested in Spring-8 Angstrom Compact Free Electron Laser (SACLA) in Japan. Based on the first results obtained from the measurements, we introduce the new improved design of the second generation PALM setup that is currently under construction and will be used in SwissFEL photon diagnostics.
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