XFEL: New laser opens at DESY in Zeuthen

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2022/11/30
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New laser opens at DESY in Zeuthen

Brandenburg's Minister of Research Manja Schüle has opened a new laser at the photoinjector test facility at DESY in Zeuthen (PITZ). The new laser, a terahertz free-electron laser (THz FEL), is a prototype for similar technologies that could enable new research at European XFEL in fields ranging from quantum mechanics to biochemistry. Minister Schüle was joined by Christian Stegmann, Head of the Zeuthen site, Thomas Tschentscher, Scientific Director at the European XFEL and other partners of the project.

“DESY in Zeuthen and its scientists stand for top international research in the fields of astroparticle physics and research into the structure and function of matter,” says Manja Schüle.

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In front of the Undulator in the PITZ II tunnel. From left: Thomas Tschentscher, Christian Stegmann, Anne Oppelt, Manja Schüle, Frank Stephan, Mikhail Krasilnikov [Credit: Ulrike Behrens]
The new terahertz laser generated its first light earlier this year. The THz FEL delivers wavelengths around 0.1 millimeters, which is about 100 times longer than the wavelength of visible light. This light has much needed properties to transform or ‘pump’ matter and single molecules into new states otherwise not accessible. These states will then be probed using the European XFEL’s X-ray pulses, revealing how they change over time.

"Many scientists and members of technical groups were involved in bringing this new idea to life at PITZ. This success opens up interesting new possibilities to advance science with terahertz radiation in a FEL configuration," explains Christian Stegmann.

Caption: Manja SchÃŒle (L), Mikhail Krasilnikov and Anne Oppelt (R) in the PITZ control room at DESY [Credit: Ulrike Behrens]
The next step will be to prepare the conceptual design of a terahertz free-electron laser to be installed at the European XFEL. This would enable unique new experiments that combine a very versatile terahertz radiation source with the European XFEL’s high energy short wavelength X-ray radiation.

"The lasing of the terahertz source at PITZ is an important milestone on the way to using terahertz radiation in a wide variety of scientific problems, and for us at European XFEL, it is an essential step in building a terahertz pump source," says Thomas Tschentscher.

Scientific contact:

Thomas Tschentscher
Tel: +49-40-8998-3904
E-mail: thomas.tschentscher@xfel.eu