Diffraction based Hanbury Brown and Twiss interferometry performed at a hard x-ray free-electron laser

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the use of diffraction-based Hanbury Brown and Twiss interferometry at a hard X-ray free-electron laser to analyze spatial coherence and pulse duration from sample diffraction patterns, revealing high coherence and shorter pulse durations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of HBT interferometry directly on diffraction patterns at an XFEL, differing from traditional methods that require direct beam measurements.

Findings

80% spatial coherence of the full beam

Pulse duration of ~11 fs measured from diffraction data

Shorter than expected from electron bunch measurements

Abstract

We demonstrate experimentally Hanbury Brown and Twiss (HBT) interferometry at a hard X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) on a sample diffraction patterns. This is different from the traditional approach when HBT interferometry requires direct beam measurements in absence of the sample. HBT analysis was carried out on the Bragg peaks from the colloidal crystals measured at Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). We observed high degree (80%) spatial coherence of the full beam and the pulse duration of the monochromatized beam on the order of 11 fs that is significantly shorter than expected from the electron bunch measurements.