Carrier-envelope phase controlled isolated attosecond pulses in the nm wavelength range, based on superradiant nonlinear Thomson-backscattering

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel method to generate isolated attosecond XUV to soft X-ray pulses with controlled carrier-envelope phase using nonlinear Thomson-backscattering, enabling precise phase control and high-intensity pulses.

Contribution

It introduces an analytic model for generating CEP-locked, isolated attosecond pulses in the XUV to soft X-ray range via nonlinear Thomson-backscattering, with realistic parameters and explicit electron dynamics.

Findings

Predicts 20 as single-cycle pulses in the water window

Demonstrates well-collimated, linearly polarized beams with locked CEP

Provides explicit formulas for spectrum and temporal shape

Abstract

A proposal for a novel source of isolated attosecond XUV -- soft X-ray pulses with a well controlled carrier-envelope phase difference (CEP) is presented in the framework of nonlinear Thomson-backscattering. Based on the analytic solution of the Newton-Lorentz equations, the motion of a relativistic electron is calculated explicitly, for head-on collision with an intense fs laser pulse. By using the received formulae, the collective spectrum and the corresponding temporal shape of the radiation emitted by a mono-energetic electron bunch can be easily computed. For certain suitable and realistic parameters, single-cycle isolated pulses of ca. 20 as length are predicted in the XUV -- soft X-ray spectral range, including the 2.33-4.37 nm water window. According to our analysis, the generated almost linearly polarized beam is extremely well collimated around the initial velocity of the electron bunch, with considerable intensity and with its CEP locked to that of the fs laser pulse.