Circularly polarized high order harmonics in the EUV photon energy range: toward table-top nanometric magnetic imaging

Circularly polarized high order harmonics in the extreme ultraviolet range (18 - 27 nm) have been obtained by a two steps process. Harmonics were generated from a linearly polarized infrared laser (40 fs, 0.25 TW) focused into a neon filled gas cell. The harmonics have then been circularly polarized by a four-reflector phase-shifter. The polarization of the harmonics have been measured using a rotating multilayer broadband mirror set at an incidence angle of 45°. Fully circularly polarized radiation has been obtained with an efficiency of a few percents. This is significantly more efficient than currently demonstrated direct generation of elliptically polarized harmonics. This demonstration opens up new experimental capabilities based on high order harmonics, for example, in materials science for time-resolved nanometric magnetic imaging.

[1]  Ivanov,et al.  Theory of high-harmonic generation by low-frequency laser fields. , 1994, Physical review. A, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics.

[2]  Hartmut Höchst,et al.  Multiple-reflection λ4 phase shifter: A viable alternative to generate circular-polarized synchrotron radiation , 1994 .

[3]  Nicholas Wagner,et al.  Elliptically polarized high harmonic emission from molecules driven by linearly polarized light , 2009, 2009 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and 2009 Conference on Quantum electronics and Laser Science Conference.

[4]  T. Mocek,et al.  A high-intensity highly coherent soft X-ray femtosecond laser seeded by a high harmonic beam , 2004, Nature.

[5]  H. Wabnitz,et al.  The soft x-ray free-electron laser FLASH at DESY: beamlines, diagnostics and end-stations , 2009 .

[6]  P. Bucksbaum,et al.  Measurement of the polarization state of high harmonics generated in gases , 1996 .

[7]  Constance Valentin,et al.  An optimized kHz two-colour high harmonic source for seeding free-electron lasers and plasma-based soft x-ray lasers , 2009 .

[8]  J W McConkey,et al.  Production and measurement of circular polarization in the VUV. , 1985, Applied optics.

[9]  M. Skibowski,et al.  Determination of the ellipticity of light and of optical constants by use of two reflection polarizers. , 1971, Applied optics.

[10]  Ivanov,et al.  High-harmonic generation and correlated two-electron multiphoton ionization with elliptically polarized light. , 1994, Physical review. A, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics.

[11]  Roman Tatchyn,et al.  The LCLS: A fourth generation light source using the SLAC linac , 1995 .

[12]  Paolo Villoresi,et al.  High-order laser harmonics and synchrotron study of transition metals M 2,3 edges , 2006 .

[13]  Franck Delmotte,et al.  Table-top resonant magnetic scattering with extreme ultraviolet light from high-order harmonic generation , 2011 .

[14]  David Garzella,et al.  Injection of harmonics generated in gas in a free-electron laser providing intense and coherent extreme-ultraviolet light , 2008 .

[15]  Henry C. Kapteyn,et al.  High-harmonic generation: Ultrafast lasers yield X-rays , 2010 .

[16]  Martin Aeschlimann,et al.  Ultrafast demagnetization dynamics at the M edges of magnetic elements observed using a tabletop high-harmonic soft x-ray source. , 2009, Physical review letters.

[17]  Stefan Eisebitt,et al.  Magnetic imaging with soft x-ray spectroholography , 2006 .

[18]  F. Krausz.  Attosecond Physics , 2007, 2007 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics - Pacific Rim.

[19]  Sophie Kazamias,et al.  Submicrometer digital in-line holographic microscopy at 32 nm with high-order harmonics. , 2006, Optics letters.

[20]  Philippe Balcou,et al.  Probing coherently excited optical phonons by extreme ultraviolet radiation with femtosecond time resolution , 2008 .

[21]  David L. Windt,et al.  IMD—software for modeling the optical properties of multilayer films , 1998 .