Using strong electromagnetic fields to control x-ray processes.

Conference · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Rev. Mex. Fis. S

OSTI ID:1015541

Young, L; Buth, C; Dunford, R W; Ho, P; Kanter, E P; Kraessig, B; Peterson, E R; Rohringer, N; Santra, R; Southworth, S H ^[1]

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1. Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division

Exploration of a new ultrafast-ultrasmall frontier in atomic and molecular physics has begun. Not only is is possible to control outer-shell electron dynamics with intense ultrafast optical lasers, but now control of inner-shell processes has become possible by combining intense infrared/optical lasers with tunable sources of X-ray radiation. This marriage of strong-field laser and X-ray physics has led to the discovery of methods to control reversibly resonant X-ray absorption in atoms and molecules on ultrafast timescales. Using a strong optical dressing field, resonant X-ray absorption in atoms can be markedly suppressed, yielding an example of electromagnetically induced transparency for x rays. Resonant X-ray absorption can also be controlled in molecules using strong non-resonant, polarized laser fields to align the framework of a molecule, and therefore its unoccupied molecular orbitals to which resonant absorption occurs. At higher laser intensities, ultrafast field ionization produces an irreversible change in X-ray absorption. Finally, the advent of X-ray free electron lasers enables first exploration of non-linear X-ray processes.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: SC; Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1015541
• Report Number(s): ANL/CSE/CP-61878
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Rev. Mex. Fis. S Journal Issue: 2 ; Jun. 2010 Journal Volume: 56
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ABSORPTION
ATOMS
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
ELECTRONS
EXPLORATION
FREE ELECTRON LASERS
IONIZATION
LASERS
PHYSICS