Showing papers in "Review of Scientific Instruments in 2013"

Invited Review Article: Large ring lasers for rotation sensing

Abstract: Over the last two decades a series of large ring laser gyroscopes have been built having an unparalleled scale factor. These upscaled devices have improved the sensitivity and stability for rotation rate measurements by six orders of magnitude when compared to previous commercial developments. This progress has made possible entirely new applications of ring laser gyroscopes in the fields of geophysics, geodesy, and seismology. Ring lasers are currently the only viable measurement technology, which is directly referenced to the instantaneous rotation axis of the Earth. The sensor technology is rapidly developing. This is evidenced by the first experimentally viable proposals to make terrestrial tests of general relativistic effects such as the frame dragging of the rotating Earth.

DELICIOUS III: A multipurpose double imaging particle coincidence spectrometer for gas phase vacuum ultraviolet photodynamics studies

Abstract: We present a versatile double imaging particle coincidence spectrometer operating in fully continuous mode, named DELICIOUS III, which combines a velocity map imaging device and a modified Wiley-McLaren time of flight momentum imaging analyzer for photoelectrons and photoions, respectively. The spectrometer is installed in a permanent endstation on the DESIRS vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) beamline at the French National Synchrotron Radiation Facility SOLEIL, and is dedicated to gas phase VUV spectroscopy, photoionization, and molecular dynamics studies. DELICIOUS III is capable of recording mass-selected threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence spectra with a sub-meV resolution, and the addition of a magnifying lens inside the electron drift tube provides a sizeable improvement of the electron threshold/ion mass resolution compromise. In fast electron mode the ultimate kinetic energy resolution has been measured at ΔE/E = 4%. The ion spectrometer offers a mass resolution—full separation of adjacent masses—of 250 amu for moderate extraction fields and the addition of an electrostatic lens in the second acceleration region allows measuring the full 3D velocity vector for a given mass with an ultimate energy resolution of ΔE/E = 15%, without sacrificing the mass resolution. Hence, photoelectron images are correlated both to the mass and to the ion kinetic energy and recoil direction, to access the electron spectroscopy of size-selected species, to study the photodissociation processes of state-selected cations in detail, or to measure in certain cases photoelectron angular distributions in the ion recoil frame. The performances of DELICIOUS III are explored through several examples including the photoionization of N2, NO, and CF3.

Noise reduction in functional near-infrared spectroscopy signals by independent component analysis

Abstract: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is used to detect concentration changes of oxy-hemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin in the human brain. The main difficulty entailed in the analysis of fNIRS signals is the fact that the hemodynamic response to a specific neuronal activation is contaminated by physiological and instrument noises, motion artifacts, and other interferences. This paper proposes independent component analysis (ICA) as a means of identifying the original hemodynamic response in the presence of noises. The original hemodynamic response was reconstructed using the primary independent component (IC) and other, less-weighting-coefficient ICs. In order to generate experimental brain stimuli, arithmetic tasks were administered to eight volunteer subjects. The t-value of the reconstructed hemodynamic response was improved by using the ICs found in the measured data. The best t-value out of 16 low-pass-filtered signals was 37, and that of the reconstructed one was 51. Also, the average t-value of the eight subjects’ reconstructed signals was 40, whereas that of all of their low-pass-filtered signals was only 20. Overall, the results showed the applicability of the ICA-based method to noise-contamination reduction in brain mapping.

Elevated temperature, nano-mechanical testing in situ in the scanning electron microscope

Abstract: A general nano-mechanical test platform capable of performing variable temperature and variable strain rate testing in situ in the scanning electron microscope is described. A variety of test geometries are possible in combination with focused ion beam machining or other fabrication techniques: indentation, micro-compression, cantilever bending, and scratch testing. The system is intrinsically displacement-controlled, which allows it to function directly as a micro-scale thermomechanical test frame. Stable, elevated temperature indentation/micro-compression requires the indenter tip and the sample to be in thermal equilibrium to prevent thermal displacement drift due to thermal expansion. This is achieved through independent heating and temperature monitoring of both the indenter tip and sample. Furthermore, the apex temperature of the indenter tip is calibrated, which allows it to act as a referenced surface temperature probe during contact. A full description of the system is provided, and the effects of indenter geometry and of radiation on imaging conditions are discussed. The stabilization time and temperature distribution throughout the system as a function of temperature is characterized. The advantages of temperature monitoring and thermal calibration of the indenter tip are illustrated, which include the possibility of local thermal conductivity measurement. Finally, validation results using nanoindentation on fused silica and micro-compression of ⟨100⟩ silicon micro-pillars as a function of temperature up to 500 °C are presented, and procedures and considerations taken for these measurements are discussed. A brittle to ductile transition from fracture to splitting then plastic deformation is directly observed in the SEM for silicon as a function of temperature.

Simultaneous measurement of thermal conductivity and heat capacity of bulk and thin film materials using frequency-dependent transient thermoreflectance method

Abstract: The increasing interest in the extraordinary thermal properties of nanostructures has led to the development of various measurement techniques. Transient thermoreflectance method has emerged as a reliable measurement technique for thermal conductivity of thin films. In this method, the determination of thermal conductivity usually relies much on the accuracy of heat capacity input. For new nanoscale materials with unknown or less-understood thermal properties, it is either questionable to assume bulk heat capacity for nanostructures or difficult to obtain the bulk form of those materials for a conventional heat capacity measurement. In this paper, we describe a technique for simultaneous measurement of thermal conductivity κ and volumetric heat capacity C of both bulk and thin film materials using frequency-dependent time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) signals. The heat transfer model is analyzed first to find how different combinations of κ and C determine the frequency-dependent TDTR signals. Simultaneous measurement of thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity is then demonstrated with bulk Si and thin film SiO2 samples using frequency-dependent TDTR measurement. This method is further testified by measuring both thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity of novel hybrid organic-inorganic thin films fabricated using the atomic/molecular layer deposition. Simultaneous measurement of thermal conductivity and heat capacity can significantly shorten the development/discovery cycle of novel materials.

Intense terahertz pulses from SLAC electron beams using coherent transition radiation

Abstract: SLAC has two electron accelerators, the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) and the Facility for Advanced Accelerator Experimental Tests (FACET), providing high-charge, high-peak-current, femtosecond electron bunches. These characteristics are ideal for generating intense broadband terahertz (THz) pulses via coherent transition radiation. For LCLS and FACET respectively, the THz pulse duration is typically 20 and 80 fs RMS and can be tuned via the electron bunch duration; emission spectra span 3-30 THz and 0.5 THz-5 THz; and the energy in a quasi-half-cycle THz pulse is 0.2 and 0.6 mJ. The peak electric field at a THz focus has reached 4.4 GV/m (0.44 V/A) at LCLS. This paper presents measurements of the terahertz pulses and preliminary observations of nonlinear materials response.

A dark-field microscope for background-free detection of resonance fluorescence from single semiconductor quantum dots operating in a set-and-forget mode

Abstract: Optically active quantum dots, for instance self-assembled InGaAs quantum dots, are potentially excellent single photon sources. The fidelity of the single photons is much improved using resonant rather than non-resonant excitation. With resonant excitation, the challenge is to distinguish between resonance fluorescence and scattered laser light. We have met this challenge by creating a polarization-based dark-field microscope to measure the resonance fluorescence from a single quantum dot at low temperature. We achieve a suppression of the scattered laser exceeding a factor of 107 and background-free detection of resonance fluorescence. The same optical setup operates over the entire quantum dot emission range (920–980 nm) and also in high magnetic fields. The major development is the outstanding long-term stability: once the dark-field point has been established, the microscope operates for days without alignment. The mechanical and optical designs of the microscope are presented, as well as exemplary resonance fluorescence spectroscopy results on individual quantum dots to underline the microscope's excellent performance.

A seven-crystal Johann-type hard x-ray spectrometer at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

Abstract: We present a multicrystal Johann-type hard x-ray spectrometer (∼5–18 keV) recently developed, installed, and operated at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource. The instrument is set at the wiggler beamline 6-2 equipped with two liquid nitrogen cooled monochromators – Si(111) and Si(311) – as well as collimating and focusing optics. The spectrometer consists of seven spherically bent crystal analyzers placed on intersecting vertical Rowland circles of 1 m of diameter. The spectrometer is scanned vertically capturing an extended backscattering Bragg angular range (88°–74°) while maintaining all crystals on the Rowland circle trace. The instrument operates in atmospheric pressure by means of a helium bag and when all the seven crystals are used (100 mm of projected diameter each), has a solid angle of about 0.45% of 4π sr. The typical resolving power is in the order of EΔE∼10000. The spectrometer's high detection efficiency combined with the beamline 6-2 characteristics permits routine studies of x-ray emission, high energy resolution fluorescence detected x-ray absorption and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering of very diluted samples as well as implementation of demanding in situ environments.

Data analysis for Seebeck coefficient measurements

Abstract: The Seebeck coefficient is one of the key quantities of thermoelectric materials and routinely measured in various laboratories There are, however, several ways to calculate the Seebeck coefficient from the raw measurement data We compare these different ways to extract the Seebeck coefficient, evaluate the accuracy of the results, and show methods to increase this accuracy We furthermore point out experimental and data analysis parameters that can be used to evaluate the trustworthiness of the obtained result The shown analysis can be used to find and minimize errors in the Seebeck coefficient measurement and therefore increase the reliability of the measured material properties

Invited Review Article: Methods for imaging weak-phase objects in electron microscopy

Abstract: Contrast has traditionally been produced in electron-microscopy of weak phase objects by simply defocusing the objective lens. There now is renewed interest, however, in using devices that apply a uniform quarter-wave phase shift to the scattered electrons relative to the unscattered beam, or that generate in-focus image contrast in some other way. Renewed activity in making an electron-optical equivalent of the familiar “phase-contrast” light microscope is based in part on the improved possibilities that are now available for device microfabrication. There is also a better understanding that it is important to take full advantage of contrast that can be had at low spatial frequency when imaging large, macromolecular objects. In addition, a number of conceptually new phase-plate designs have been proposed, thus increasing the number of options that are available for development. The advantages, disadvantages, and current status of each of these options is now compared and contrasted. Experimental results that are, indeed, superior to what can be accomplished with defocus-based phase contrast have been obtained recently with two different designs of phase-contrast aperture. Nevertheless, extensive work also has shown that fabrication of such devices is inconsistent, and that their working lifetime is short. The main limitation, in fact, appears to be electrostatic charging of any device that is placed into the electron diffraction pattern. The challenge in fabricating phase plates that are practical to use for routine work in electron microscopy thus may be more in the area of materials science than in the area of electron optics.

First storage of ion beams in the Double Electrostatic Ion-Ring Experiment: DESIREE

Abstract: We report on the first storage of ion beams in the Double ElectroStatic Ion Ring ExpEriment, DESIREE, at Stockholm University. We have produced beams of atomic carbon anions and small carbon anion ...

Integrated fiber-mirror ion trap for strong ion-cavity coupling

Abstract: We present and characterize fiber mirrors and a miniaturized ion-trap design developed to integrate a fiber-based Fabry-Perot cavity (FFPC) with a linear Paul trap for use in cavity-QED experiments with trapped ions. Our fiber-mirror fabrication process not only enables the construction of FFPCs with small mode volumes, but also allows us to minimize the influence of the dielectric fiber mirrors on the trapped-ion pseudopotential. We discuss the effect of clipping losses for long FFPCs and the effect of angular and lateral displacements on the coupling efficiencies between cavity and fiber. Optical profilometry allows us to determine the radii of curvature and ellipticities of the fiber mirrors. From finesse measurements, we infer a single-atom cooperativity of up to 12 for FFPCs longer than 200 μm in length; comparison to cavities constructed with reference substrate mirrors produced in the same coating run indicates that our FFPCs have similar scattering losses. We characterize the birefringence of our fiber mirrors, finding that careful fiber-mirror selection enables us to construct FFPCs with degenerate polarization modes. As FFPCs are novel devices, we describe procedures developed for handling, aligning, and cleaning them. We discuss experiments to anneal fiber mirrors and explore the influence of the atmosphere under which annealing occurs on coating losses, finding that annealing under vacuum increases the losses for our reference substrate mirrors. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate that these losses may be attributable to oxygen depletion in the mirror coating. Special design considerations enable us to introduce a FFPC into a trapped ion setup. Our unique linear Paul trap design provides clearance for such a cavity and is miniaturized to shield trapped ions from the dielectric fiber mirrors. We numerically calculate the trap potential in the absence of fibers. In the experiment additional electrodes can be used to compensate distortions of the potential due to the fibers. Home-built fiber feedthroughs connect the FFPC to external optics, and an integrated nanopositioning system affords the possibility of retracting or realigning the cavity without breaking vacuum.

Thermocouple error correction for measuring the flame temperature with determination of emissivity and heat transfer coefficient.

Abstract: Temperature measurement by thermocouples is prone to errors due to conduction and radiation losses and therefore has to be corrected for precise measurement. The temperature dependent emissivity of the thermocouple wires is measured by the use of thermal infrared camera. The measured emissivities are found to be 20%–40% lower than the theoretical values predicted from theory of electromagnetism. A transient technique is employed for finding the heat transfer coefficients for the lead wire and the bead of the thermocouple. This method does not require the data of thermal properties and velocity of the burnt gases. The heat transfer coefficients obtained from the present method have an average deviation of 20% from the available heat transfer correlations in literature for non-reacting convective flow over cylinders and spheres. The parametric study of thermocouple error using the numerical code confirmed the existence of a minimum wire length beyond which the conduction loss is a constant minimal. Temperature of premixed methane-air flames stabilised on 16 mm diameter tube burner is measured by three B-type thermocouples of wire diameters: 0.15 mm, 0.30 mm, and 0.60 mm. The measurements are made at three distances from the burner tip (thermocouple tip to burner tip/burner diameter = 2, 4, and 6) at an equivalence ratio of 1 for the tube Reynolds number varying from 1000 to 2200. These measured flame temperatures are corrected by the present numerical procedure, the multi-element method, and the extrapolation method. The flame temperatures estimated by the two-element method and extrapolation method deviate from numerical results within 2.5% and 4%, respectively.

Scanning droplet cell for high throughput electrochemical and photoelectrochemical measurements

Abstract: High throughput electrochemical techniques are widely applied in material discovery and optimization. For many applications, the most desirable electrochemical characterization requires a three-electrode cell under potentiostat control. In high throughput screening, a material library is explored by either employing an array of such cells, or rastering a single cell over the library. To attain this latter capability with unprecedented throughput, we have developed a highly integrated, compact scanning droplet cell that is optimized for rapid electrochemical and photoeletrochemical measurements. Using this cell, we screened a quaternary oxide library as (photo)electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution (water splitting) reaction. High quality electrochemical measurements were carried out and key electrocatalytic properties were identified for each of 5456 samples with a throughput of 4 s per sample.

Invited Article: Indenter materials for high temperature nanoindentation.

Abstract: As nanoindentation at high temperatures becomes increasingly popular, a review of indenter materials for usage at high temperatures is instructive for identifying appropriate indenter-sample materials combinations to prevent indenter loss or failure due to chemical reactions or wear during indentation. This is an important consideration for nanoindentation as extremely small volumes of reacted indenter material will have a significant effect on measurements. The high temperature hardness, elastic modulus, thermal properties, and chemical reactivities of diamond, boron carbide, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride, and sapphire are discussed. Diamond and boron carbide show the best elevated temperature hardness, while tungsten carbide demonstrates the lowest chemical reactivity with the widest array of elements.

A 10 mK scanning tunneling microscope operating in ultra high vacuum and high magnetic fields

Abstract: We present design and performance of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) that operates at temperatures down to 10 mK providing ultimate energy resolution on the atomic scale. The STM is attached to a dilution refrigerator with direct access to an ultra high vacuum chamber allowing in situ sample preparation. High magnetic fields of up to 14 T perpendicular and up to 0.5 T parallel to the sample surface can be applied. Temperature sensors mounted directly at the tip and sample position verified the base temperature within a small error margin. Using a superconducting Al tip and a metallic Cu(111) sample, we determined an effective temperature of 38 ± 1 mK from the thermal broadening observed in the tunneling spectra. This results in an upper limit for the energy resolution of ΔE = 3.5 kBT = 11.4 ± 0.3 μeV. The stability between tip and sample is 4 pm at a temperature of 15 mK as demonstrated by topography measurements on a Cu(111) surface.

A novel instrument for quantitative nanoanalytics involving complementary X-ray methodologies.

Abstract: A novel ultra-high vacuum instrument for X-ray reflectometry and spectrometry-related techniques for nanoanalytics by means of synchrotron radiation has been constructed and commissioned. This versatile instrument was developed by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Germany's national metrology institute, and includes a 9-axis manipulator that allows for an independent alignment of the samples with respect to all degrees of freedom. In addition, a rotational and translational movement of several photodiodes as well as a translational movement of an aperture system in and out of the beam is provided. Thus, the new instrument enables various analytical techniques based on energy dispersive X-ray detectors such as reference-free X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), total-reflection XRF, grazing-incidence XRF in addition to optional X-ray reflectometry measurements or polarization-dependent X-ray absorption fine structure analyses. With this instrument samples having a size of up to 100 mm × 100 mm can be analyzed with respect to their mass deposition, elemental or spatial composition, or the species in order to probe surface contamination, layer composition and thickness, the depth profile of matrix elements or implants, the species of nanolayers, nanoparticles or buried interfaces as well as the molecular orientation of bonds. Selected applications of this advanced ultra-high vacuum instrument demonstrate both its flexibility and capability.

Thermal property microscopy with frequency domain thermoreflectance.

Abstract: A thermal property microscopy technique based on frequency domain thermoreflectance (FDTR) is presented. In FDTR, a periodically modulated laser locally heats a sample while a second probe beam monitors the surface reflectivity, which is related to the thermal properties of the sample with an analytical model. Here, we extend FDTR into an imaging technique capable of producing micrometer-scale maps of several thermophysical properties simultaneously. Thermal phase images are recorded at multiple frequencies chosen for maximum sensitivity to thermal properties of interest according to a thermal model of the sample. The phase versus frequency curves are then fit point-by-point to obtain quantitative thermal property images of various combinations of thermal properties in multilayer samples, including the in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities, heat capacity, thermal interface conductance, and film thickness. An FDTR microscope based on two continuous-wave lasers is described, and a sensitivity analysis of the technique to different thermal properties is carried out. As a demonstration, we image ∼3 nm of patterned titanium under 100 nm of gold on a silicon substrate, and simultaneously create maps of the thermal interface conductance and substrate thermal conductivity. Results confirm the potential of our technique for imaging and quantifying thermal properties of buried layers, indicating its utility for mapping thermal properties in integrated circuits.

Invited Article: Micron resolution spatially resolved measurement of heat capacity using dual-frequency time-domain thermoreflectance

Abstract: A pump-probe photothermal technique – dual-frequency time-domain thermoreflectance – was developed for measuring heat capacity with a spatial resolution on the order of 10 μm. The method was validated by measuring several common materials with known heat capacity. Rapid measurement of composition-phase-property relationships was demonstrated on Ti-TiSi2 and Ni-Zr diffusion couples; experimental values of heat capacity of the intermetallic compounds in these diffusion couples were compared with literature values and CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagram) calculations. The combination of this method and diffusion multiples provides an efficient way to generate thermodynamic data for CALPHAD modeling and database construction. The limitation of this method in measuring low thermal diffusivity materials is also discussed.

Wide-area scanner for high-speed atomic force microscopy.

Abstract: High-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) has recently been established. The dynamic processes and structural dynamics of protein molecules in action have been successfully visualized using HS-AFM. However, its maximum scan ranges in the X- and Y-directions have been limited to ∼1 μm and ∼4 μm, respectively, making it infeasible to observe the dynamics of much larger samples, including live cells. Here, we develop a wide-area scanner with a maximum XY scan range of ∼46 × 46 μm2 by magnifying the displacements of stack piezoelectric actuators using a leverage mechanism. Mechanical vibrations produced by fast displacement of the X-scanner are suppressed by a combination of feed-forward inverse compensation and the use of triangular scan signals with rounded vertices. As a result, the scan speed in the X-direction reaches 6.3 mm/s even for a scan size as large as ∼40 μm. The nonlinearity of the X- and Y-piezoelectric actuators’ displacements that arises from their hysteresis is eliminated by polynomial-approximation-based open-loop control. The interference between the X- and Y-scanners is also eliminated by the same technique. The usefulness of this wide-area scanner is demonstrated by video imaging of dynamic processes in live bacterial and eukaryotic cells.

High speed synchrotron x-ray phase contrast imaging of dynamic material response to split Hopkinson bar loading

Abstract: The successful process of amalgamating both the time-resolved imaging capabilities present at the Advanced Photon Source beamline 32ID-B and the proficiency of high-rate loading offered by the split Hopkinson or Kolsky compression/tension bar apparatus is discussed and verification of system effectiveness is expressed via dynamic experiments on various material systems. Single particle sand interaction along with glass cracking during dynamic compression, and fiber-epoxy interfacial failure, ligament-bone debonding, and single-crystal silicon fragmentation due to dynamic tension, were imaged with 0.5 μs temporal resolution and μm-level spatial resolution. Synchrotron x-ray phase contrast imaging of said material systems being loaded with the Kolsky bar apparatus demonstratively depicts the effectiveness of the novel union between these two powerful techniques, thereby allowing for in situ analysis of the interior of the material system during high-rate loading for a variety of applications.

A high-order harmonic generation apparatus for time- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract: We present a table top setup for time- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate band structure dynamics of correlated materials driven far from equilibrium by femtosecond laser pulse excitation. With the electron-phonon equilibration time being in the order of 1–2 ps it is necessary to achieve sub-picosecond time resolution. Few techniques provide both the necessary time and energy resolution to map non-equilibrium states of the band structure. Laser-driven high-order harmonic generation is such a technique. In our experiment, a grating monochromator delivers tunable photon energies up to 40 eV. A photon energy bandwidth of 150 meV and a pulse duration of 100 fs FWHM allow us to cover the k-space necessary to map valence bands at different kz and detect outer core states.

Response functions of imaging plates to photons, electrons and 4He particles

Abstract: Imaging plates from Fuji (BAS-SR, MS, and TR types) are phosphor films routinely used in ultra high intensity laser experiments. However, few data are available on the absolute IP response functions to ionizing particles. We have previously measured and modeled the IP response functions to protons. We focus here on the determination of the responses to photons, electrons, and 4He particles. The response functions are obtained on an energy range going from a few tens of keV to a few tens of MeV and are compared to available data. The IP sensitivities to the different ionizing particles demonstrate a quenching effect depending on the particle stopping power.

Generation of first hard X-ray pulse at Tsinghua Thomson Scattering X-ray Source.

Abstract: Tsinghua Thomson Scattering X-ray Source (TTX) is the first-of-its-kind dedicated hard X-ray source in China based on the Thomson scattering between a terawatt ultrashort laser and relativistic electron beams. In this paper, we report the experimental generation and characterization of the first hard X-ray pulses (51.7 keV) via head-on collision of an 800 nm laser and 46.7 MeV electron beams. The measured yield is 1.0 × 10(6) per pulse with an electron bunch charge of 200 pC and laser pulse energy of 300 mJ. The angular intensity distribution and energy spectra of the X-ray pulse are measured with an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device using a CsI scintillator and silicon attenuators. These measurements agree well with theoretical and simulation predictions. An imaging test using the X-ray pulse at the TTX is also presented.

All solid-state high power microwave source with high repetition frequency

Abstract: An all solid-state, megawatt-class high power microwave system featuring a silicon carbide (SiC) photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) and a ferrimagnetic-based, coaxial nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) is presented. A 1.62 cm2, 50 kV 4H-SiC PCSS is hard-switched to produce electrical pulses with 7 ns full width-half max (FWHM) pulse widths at 2 ns risetimes in single shot and burst-mode operation. The PCSS resistance drops to sub-ohm when illuminated with approximately 3 mJ of laser energy at 355 nm (tripled Nd:YAG) in a single pulse. Utilizing a fiber optic based optical delivery system, a laser pulse train of four 7 ns (FWHM) signals was generated at 65 MHz repetition frequency. The resulting electrical pulse train from the PCSS closely follows the optical input and is utilized to feed the NLTL generating microwave pulses with a base microwave-frequency of about 2.1 GHz at 65 MHz pulse repetition frequency (prf). Under typical experimental conditions, the NLTL produces sharpened output risetimes of 120 ps and microwave oscillations at 2–4 GHz that are generated due to damped gyromagnetic precession of the ferrimagnetic material's axially pre-biased magnetic moments. The complete system is discussed in detail with its output matched into 50 Ω, and results covering MHz-prf in burst-mode operation as well as frequency agility in single shot operation are discussed.

A high-flux high-order harmonic source.

Abstract: We develop and implement an experimental strategy for the generation of high-energy high-order harmonics (HHG) in gases for studies of nonlinear processes in the soft x-ray region. We generate high-order harmonics by focusing a high energy Ti:Sapphire laser into a gas cell filled with argon or neon. The energy per pulse is optimized by an automated control of the multiple parameters that influence the generation process. This optimization procedure allows us to obtain energies per pulse and harmonic order as high as 200 nJ in argon and 20 nJ in neon, with good spatial properties, using a loose focusing geometry (f#≈400) and a 20 mm long medium. We also theoretically examine the macroscopic conditions for absorption-limited conversion efficiency and optimization of the HHG pulse energy for high-energy laser systems.

Invited Article: Coherent imaging using seeded free-electron laser pulses with variable polarization: First results and research opportunities

Abstract: FERMI@Elettra, the first vacuum ultraviolet and soft X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) using by default a “seeded” scheme, became operational in 2011 and has been opened to users since December 2012. The parameters of the seeded FERMI FEL pulses and, in particular, the superior control of emitted radiation in terms of spectral purity and stability meet the stringent requirements for single-shot and resonant coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) experiments. The advantages of the intense seeded FERMI pulses with variable polarization have been demonstrated with the first experiments performed using the multipurpose experimental station operated at the diffraction and projection imaging (DiProI) beamline. The results reported here were obtained with fixed non-periodic targets during the commissioning period in 2012 using 20–32 nm wavelength range. They demonstrate that the performance of the FERMI FEL source and the experimental station meets the requirements of CDI, holography, and resonant magnetic scattering in both multi- and single-shot modes. Moreover, we present the first magnetic scattering experiments employing the fully circularly polarized FERMI pulses. The ongoing developments aim at pushing the lateral resolution by using shorter wavelengths provided by double-stage cascaded FERMI FEL-2 and probing ultrafast dynamic processes using different pump-probe schemes, including jitter-free seed laser pump or FEL-pump/FEL-probe with two color FEL pulses generated by the same electron bunch.

Instrumentation of broadband frequency domain thermoreflectance for measuring thermal conductivity accumulation functions

Abstract: This paper describes the instrumentation for broadband frequency domain thermoreflectance (BB-FDTR), a novel, continuous wave laser technique for measuring the thermal conductivity accumulation function. The thermal conductivity accumulation function describes cumulative contributions to the bulk thermal conductivity of a material from energy carriers with different mean free paths. It can be used to map reductions in thermal conductivity in nano-devices, which arise when the dimensions of the device are commensurate to the mean free path of energy carriers. BB-FDTR uses high frequency surface temperature modulation to generate non-diffusive phonon transport realized through a reduction in the perceived thermal conductivity. By controlling the modulation frequency it is possible to reconstruct the thermal conductivity accumulation function. A unique heterodyning technique is used to down-convert the signal, therein improving our signal to noise ratio and enabling results over a broader range of modulation frequencies (200 kHz–200 MHz) and hence mean free paths.

Ultrafast ultrasonic imaging coupled to rheometry: principle and illustration.

Abstract: We describe a technique coupling standard rheology and ultrasonic imaging with promising applications to characterization of soft materials under shear. Plane wave imaging using an ultrafast scanner allows to follow the local dynamics of fluids sheared between two concentric cylinders with frame rates as high as 10 000 images per second, while simultaneously monitoring the shear rate, shear stress, and viscosity as a function of time. The capacities of this “rheo-ultrasound” instrument are illustrated on two examples: (i) the classical case of the Taylor-Couette instability in a simple viscous fluid and (ii) the unstable shear-banded flow of a non-Newtonian wormlike micellar solution.

Superconducting coplanar waveguide resonators for low temperature pulsed electron spin resonance spectroscopy

Abstract: We discuss the design and implementation of thin film superconducting coplanar waveguide micro-resonators for pulsed electron spin resonance experiments. The performance of the resonators with P doped Si epilayer samples is compared to waveguide resonators under equivalent conditions. The high achievable filling factor even for small sized samples and the relatively high Q-factor result in a sensitivity of 4.5 × 108 spins per shot, which is superior to that of conventional waveguide resonators, in particular to spins close to the sample surface. The peak microwave power is on the order of a few milliwatts, which is compatible with measurements at ultra-low temperatures. We also discuss the effect of the nonuniform microwave magnetic field on the Hahn echo power dependence.