Bright, Coherent, Ultrafast Soft X-Ray Harmonics Spanning the Water Window from a Tabletop Light Source

TL;DR

This paper presents a tabletop light source capable of generating bright, coherent, ultrafast soft X-ray harmonics across the water window, enabling advanced bio-imaging and molecular studies with unprecedented bandwidth and flux.

Contribution

It demonstrates fully phase-matched high-order harmonic generation with the broadest bandwidth and highest photon flux in the water window from a tabletop source.

Findings

Achieved emission spanning the water window spectral region.

Generated the broadest coherent bandwidth (~300 eV) from any light source.

Photon flux at 0.5 keV is 1000 times higher than previous sources.

Abstract

We demonstrate fully phase matched high-order harmonic generation with emission spanning the water window spectral region important for bio- and nano-imaging and a breadth of materials and molecular dynamics studies. We also generate the broadest bright coherent bandwidth (~300eV) to date obtained from any light source, small or large. The harmonic photon flux at 0.5 keV is 10^3 higher than demonstrated previously, making it possible for the first time to demonstrate spatial coherence in the water window. The continuum emission is consistent with a single attosecond burst, that extends bright attosecond pulses into the soft x-ray region.