XFEL: First light of new laser enables new science at European XFEL
First light of new laser enables new science at European XFEL
A new laser developed at the photo injector test facility at DESY in Zeuthen (PITZ) has generated its first light, potentially enabling applications at European XFEL. The new laser, just like the European XFEL, is a free electron laser (FEL), but one that produces radiation at the opposite end of the spectrum compared to the European XFEL’s short wavelength X-rays. Together, the unequal siblings could provide new insights into the behavior of electrons and magnetic fields in matter.
The new FEL at PITZ generates extremely short pulses of so-called Terahertz (THz) radiation, with wavelengths between 0.1 and 1 mm, about 100 to 1000 times longer than visible light and up to a million times longer than the wavelengths of the European XFEL. THz radiation can be used to transform matter into new states otherwise not accessible. These novel states of matter can then be probed using the European XFEL’s X-ray pulses. Currently, this transformation is initiated by visible and infrared light sources at the European XFEL, but THz radiation can open the door to a different realm of physics, including studies of materials and processes such as those used in electronic devices, energy storage and quantum matter.
The PITZ extension with the THz FEL. The undulator for generating the laser radiation is mounted on the yellow frame and the electron beam comes in from the right. Photo: DESY, PITZ group
European XFEL commissioned and part funded the new FEL, and also contributes to the day to day operation of the PITZ facility. The laser operates using a similar mechanism to European XFEL, using an undulator (a series of aligned of magnets) to produce radiation. The team at PITZ are now working on on-going development and characterisation of the new FEL.
“It is a great achievement to see first light on this free-electron laser in Zeuthen,” says Dr Thomas Tschentscher, scientific director at the European XFEL. “We now have the possibility to further study this route of implementing THz pump sources at the European XFEL, which will be an important addition to increase the breadth of our scientific capabilities.”
Panoramic photo of the THz beamline at PITZ. Photo: DESY, PITZ group
For more information, read more here.
Publication
E. A. Schneidmiller, M. V. Yurkov, M. Krasilnikov, F. Stephan, “Tunable IR/THz source for pump probe experiments at the European XFEL”, Advances in X-ray Free-Electron Lasers II: Instrumentation. Vol. 8778. SPIE, 2013.
Science contacts:
Dr Peter Zalden
Tel: +49-40-8998-6828
Email: peter.zalden@xfel.eu
