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arXiv · 2303.01399

On the path to ion-based pump-probe experiments: Generation of 18 picosecond keV Ne$^+$ ion pulses from a cooled supersonic gas beam

L. Kalkhoff·A. Golombek·M. Schleberger·K. Sokolowski-Tinten·A. Wucher·L. Breuer
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Abstract

The dynamics triggered by the impact of an ion onto a solid surface has been explored mainly by theoretical modeling or computer simulation to date. Results indicate that the microscopic non-equilibrium relaxation processes triggered by the interaction of the ion with the solid occur on (sub-)picosecond time scales. A suitable experimental approach to these dynamics therefore requires a pump-probe method with an appropriate time resolution. Recent experiments have successfully used laser photoionization of noble gas atoms in combination with a Wiley-MacLaren ion buncher to obtain arrival time distributions as narrow as $t_{ion} = 180$ ps. Here we show that this setup can be significantly improved by replacing the gas at a temperature of $T_{atoms}$ = 300 K with a supersonic beam of cooled noble gas atoms at $T_{atoms}$ = 4 K. The detailed analysis of measured arrival times of individual Ne$^+$ ions with a kinetic energy of 4 keV reveals that the arrival time jitter can be reduced by this technique down to (18$\pm$4) ps. This opens the door to pump-probe experiments with keV ions with a time-resolution in the picosecond range.

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L. Kalkhoff, A. Golombek, M. Schleberger, K. Sokolowski-Tinten, A. Wucher, L. Breuer. 2023-03-02. On the path to ion-based pump-probe experiments: Generation of 18 picosecond keV Ne$^+$ ion pulses from a cooled supersonic gas beam. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.01399

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