arXiv subjects

D. Gray

Publications and source records attributed to D. Gray.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Polarization shaping of high-order harmonics in laser-aligned molecules

The present work reports on the generation of short-pulse coherent extreme ultraviolet radiation of controlled polarization. The proposed strategy is based on high-order harmonics generated in pre-aligned molecules. Field-free molecular alignment produced by a short linearly-polarized infrared laser pulse is used to break the isotropy of a gas medium. Driving the aligned molecules by a circularly-polarized infrared pulse allows to transfer the anisotropy of the medium to the polarization of the generated harmonic light. The ellipticity of the latter is controlled by adjusting the angular distribution of the molecules at the time they interact with the driving pulse. Extreme ultraviolet radiation produced with high degree of ellipticity (close to circular) is demonstrated.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2016

LUMINEU: a search for neutrinoless double beta decay based on ZnMoO$_4$ scintillating bolometers

The LUMINEU is designed to investigate the possibility to search for neutrinoless double beta decay in $^{100}$Mo by means of a large array of scintillating bolometers based on ZnMoO$_4$ crystals enriched in $^{100}$Mo. High energy resolution and relatively fast detectors, which are able to measure both the light and the heat generated upon the interaction of a particle in a crystal, are very promising for the recognition and rejection of background events. We present the LUMINEU concepts and the experimental results achieved aboveground and underground with large-mass natural and enriched crystals. The measured energy resolution, the $\alpha/\beta$ discrimination power and the radioactive internal contamination are all within the specifications for the projected final LUMINEU sensitivity. Simulations and preliminary results confirm that the LUMINEU technology can reach zero background in the region of interest (around 3 MeV) with exposures of the order of hundreds kg$\times$years, setting the bases for a next generation $0\nu2\beta$ decay experiment capable to explore the inverted hierarchy region of the neutrino mass pattern.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2015

Proceedings of the third French-Ukrainian workshop on the instrumentation developments for HEP

The reports collected in these proceedings have been presented in the third French-Ukrainian workshop on the instrumentation developments for high-energy physics held at LAL, Orsay on October 15-16. The workshop was conducted in the scope of the IDEATE International Associated Laboratory (LIA). Joint developments between French and Ukrainian laboratories and universities as well as new proposals have been discussed. The main topics of the papers presented in the Proceedings are developments for accelerator and beam monitoring, detector developments, joint developments for large-scale high-energy and astroparticle physics projects, medical applications.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2013

The influence of ultrafast temporal energy regulation on the morphology of Si surfaces through femtosecond double pulse laser irradiation

The effect of ultrashort laser-induced morphological changes upon irradiation of silicon with double pulse sequences is investigated under conditions that lead to mass removal. The temporal delay between twelve double and equal-energy pulses (Ep=0.24J/cm2 each, with pulse duration tp=430fs, 800nm laser wavelength) was varied between 0 and 14ps and a decrease of the damaged area, crater depth size and periodicity of the induced subwavelength ripples (by 3-4%) was observed with increasing pulse delay. The proposed underlying mechanism is based on the combination of carrier excitation and energy thermalization and capillary wave solidification and aims to provide an alternative explanation to the control of ripple periodicity by temporal pulse tailoring. This work demonstrates the potential of pulse shaping technology to improve nano/micro processing.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2013

Tracing molecular dynamics at the femto-/atto-second boundary through extreme-ultraviolet pump-probe spectroscopy

Coherent light pulses of few to hundreds of femtoseconds (fs) duration have prolifically served the field of ultrafast phenomena. While fs pulses address mainly dynamics of nuclear motion in molecules or lattices in the gas, liquid or condensed matter phase, the advent of attosecond pulses has in recent years provided direct experimental access to ultrafast electron dynamics. However, there are processes involving nuclear motion in molecules and in particular coupled electronic and nuclear motion that possess few fs or even sub-fs dynamics. In the present work we have succeeded in addressing simultaneously vibrational and electronic dynamics in molecular Hydrogen. Utilizing a broadband extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) continuum the entire, Frank-Condon allowed spectrum of H2 is coherently excited. Vibrational, electronic and ionization 1fs scale dynamics are subsequently tracked by means of XUV-pump-XUV-probe measurements. These reflect the intrinsic molecular behavior as the XUV probe pulse hardly distorts the molecular potential.

physics.chem-ph↗