Controlling the Spacing of Attosecond Pulse Trains from Relativistic Surface Plasmas

Journal Article · Fri May 06 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.106.185002· OSTI ID:21538317

Behmke, M; Cerchez, M; Hemmers, D; Pretzler, G; Toncian, M; Toncian, T; Willi, O ^[1]; Bruegge, D an der; Pukhov, A ^[2]; Roedel, C; Jaeckel, O; Paulus, G G ^[3]; Heyer, M; Kuebel, M ^[3]

---

1. Institut fuer Laser- und Plasmaphysik, Heinrich-Heine-Universitaet Duesseldorf, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Duesseldorf (Germany)
2. Institut fuer Theoretische Physik I, Heinrich-Heine-Universitaet Duesseldorf, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Duesseldorf (Germany)
3. Institut fuer Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena (Germany)

When a laser pulse hits a solid surface with relativistic intensities, XUV attosecond pulses are generated in the reflected light. We present an experimental and theoretical study of the temporal properties of attosecond pulse trains in this regime. The recorded harmonic spectra show distinct fine structures which can be explained by a varying temporal pulse spacing that can be controlled by the laser contrast. The pulse spacing is directly related to the cycle-averaged motion of the reflecting surface. Thus the harmonic spectrum contains information on the relativistic plasma dynamics.

• OSTI ID: 21538317
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 18; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.185002; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
FINE STRUCTURE
LASERS
PULSES
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
SPECTRA
SURFACES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION