An easy technique for focus characterization and optimization of XUV and soft x-ray pulses

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple, high-resolution method for characterizing and optimizing XUV and soft X-ray focus sizes, enabling improved focus control for various advanced photon sources.

Contribution

The paper presents a straightforward technique to measure and optimize XUV focus with 1.85 micrometer resolution, applicable across a wide photon energy range.

Findings

Achieved 1.85 micrometer focus characterization resolution.

Successfully optimized ellipsoidal mirror focus for 18-150 eV photons.

Applicable to high-harmonic sources, synchrotrons, and free-electron lasers.

Abstract

For many applications of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and x-ray pulses a small focus size is crucial to reach the required intensity or spatial resolution. In this article, we present a simple way to characterize an XUV focus with a resolution of 1.85 micrometer. Furthermore, this technique is applied for the measurement and optimization of the focus of an ellipsoidal mirror for photon energies ranging from 18 to 150 eV generated by high-order harmonics. We envisage a broad range of applications of this approach with sub-micrometer resolution from high-harmonic sources via synchrotrons to free-electron lasers.