Speaker
Description
The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) enables pioneering studies of ultrafast phenomena by producing X-ray pulses with attosecond durations and continuously tunable wavelengths. However, X-ray pump-probe experiments are limited by achievable time delays. While existing magnetic chicanes offer wide delay ranges, they introduce a minimum slippage of 300 as for harmonic schemes, which grows to 5 fs for arbitrary-color experiments. This prevents continuous scanning through zero delay (t=0) and obscures the initial, often crucial, moments of interaction.
We present the Soft X-ray (SXR) Delay Line, an instrument designed to overcome these limitations. The device is an optical chicane using a 3-bounce mirror geometry to provide a 14 fs tunable delay for 250-1250 eV photons. Fine delay tuning is achieved via a piezo-actuator, offering a hardware resolution of tens of attoseconds, while a motorized pitch correction system ensures sub-µrad pointing stability.
Acting as a high-resolution microstepper to the magnetic chicane, the SXR Delay Line enables continuous delay scanning through t=0. This capability overcomes the 5 fs slippage barrier for arbitrary-color schemes and, by allowing use of the full undulator, permits higher probe pulse intensities. The system opens new capabilities for investigating fundamental charge migration and electron correlation dynamics with unprecedented temporal fidelity.
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