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E. Schneidmiller

Publications and source records attributed to E. Schneidmiller.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

A 2D Holographic Approach for All-Optical Single-Shot Temporal Characterization of SASE FEL Pulses

X-ray Free-electron lasers (XFELs) deliver ultrashort and ultrabright radiation in a photon-energy range spanning from extreme ultraviolet to hard X-rays. Supporting pulse durations down to hundreds of attoseconds, these sources are unique in enabling imaging of matter with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution. However, schemes that produce such ultrashort pulses typically rely on Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE), a stochastic process that introduces significant temporal and spectral jitter, therefore requiring single-shot characterization methods for post sorting the acquired data. Although various methods have been developed for pulse characterization and delay tagging, they often come with experimental and computational complexity. Moreover, no existing method currently combines both single-shot pulse reconstruction and delay tagging at the attosecond time scale. To close this gap, we present two-dimensional time-domain Double-Blind Holography (2D-TDDBH), an entirely novel approach combining double-blind holography with concepts from diffractive imaging and ptychography. By recording the 2D spatial profile of the spectral interference between an extreme ultraviolet (XUV) FEL source and a high-harmonic generation (HHG)-based source, we achieve simultaneous waveform reconstruction and delay tagging of sub-10 fs FEL pulses with attosecond precision.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

Probing atoms by periodically modulated electron bunches

When passing through an undulator in a Free Electron Laser, dense bunches of relativistic electrons split into micro-bunches, attaining a periodic space-time structure. We show that the field of such periodically modulated bunches is tremendously influenced by coherence effects, resulting in a novel type of beam-atom interaction. Our results indicate that employing such bunches (alone or in combinations with the radiation they emit) offers a multitude of new opportunities for exploring atomic dynamics on a femtosecond time scale.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2025

First experiments with ultrashort, circularly polarized soft X-ray pulses at FLASH2

Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy as well as magnetic circular dichroism with circularly polarized soft X-rays (XAS and XMCD) are powerful tools to probe electronic and magnetic dynamics in magnetic materials element- and site-selectively. Employing these methods, groundbreaking results have been obtained for instance for magnetic alloys, which helped to fundamentally advance the field of ultrafast magnetization dynamics. At the free electron laser facility FLASH key capabilities for ultrafast XAS and XMCD experiments have recently improved: In an upgrade, an APPLE-III helical afterburner undulator was installed at FLASH2 in September 2023. This installation allows for the generation of circularly polarized soft X-ray pulses with a duration of a few tens of femtoseconds covering the L3,2-edges of the important 3d transition metal elements with pulse energies of several uJ. Here, we present first experimental results with such ultrashort X-ray pulses from the FL23 beamline employing XMCD at the L-edges of the 3d metals, Co, Fe and Ni. We obtain significant dichroic difference signals indicating a degree of circular polarization close to 100%. With the pulse-length preserving monochromator at beamline FL23 and an improved pump laser setup, FLASH can offer important and efficient experimental instrumentation for studies on ultrafast spin dynamics in 3d transition metals, multilayers, and alloys.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2024

Two-bunch seeding of soft X-ray free electron lasers

Seeded Free Electron Lasers (FELs) demonstrate a good performance and are successfully used in different user experiments in extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray regimes. In this paper a simple modification of the seeding scenario is proposed relying on generation of two closely spaced bunches with very different properties: a low-current seeding bunch, and a high-current bunch that amplifies coherent radiation, produced by the seeding bunch. This approach eliminates different limitations and mitigates some harmful effects in the standard scenario. In particular, one can generate very high harmonic numbers with a moderate laser power in a simple high-gain harmonic generation (HGHG) scheme. Alternatively, in case of moderate harmonic numbers, one can strongly reduce the required laser power thus simplifying design of high repetition rate seeded FELs. An influence of beam dynamics effects (like nonlinearities of the longitudinal phase space of electron beams, coherent synchrotron radiation, longitudinal space charge, geometrical wakefields, microbunching instabilities etc.) on properties of output radiation (spectrum broadening, pedestals, stability) can be to a large extent reduced in the proposed scheme. In this paper we illustrate the operation of the two-bunch seeding scheme in HGHG configuration with realistic start-to-end simulations for the soft X-ray user facility FLASH. We show that nearly Fourier-limited multi-gigawatt pulses can be generated at 4 nm using the present compact design of the undulator system. With several thousand pulses per second this can be a unique source for photon science.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2024

First high peak and average power single-pass THz FEL based on high brightness photoinjector

Advanced experiments using THz pump and X-ray probe pulses at modern free-electron lasers (FELs) like the European X-ray FEL require a frequency-tunable, high-power, narrow-band THz source maintaining the repetition rate and pulse structure of the X-ray pulses. This paper reports the first results from a THz source, that is based on a single-pass high-gain THz FEL operating with a central wavelength of 100 micrometers. The THz FEL prototype is currently in operation at the Photo Injector Test facility at DESY in Zeuthen (PITZ) and uses the same type of electron source as the European XFEL photo injector. A self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) FEL was envisioned as the main mechanism for generating the THz pulses. Although the THz FEL at PITZ is supposed to use the same mechanism as at X-ray facilities, it cannot be considered as a simple scaling of the radiation wavelength because there is a large difference in the number of electrons per radiation wavelength, which is five orders of magnitude higher for the THz case. The bunching factor arising from the electron beam current profile contributes strongly to the initial spontaneous emission starting the FEL process. Proof-of-principle experiments were done at PITZ using an LCLS-I undulator to generate the first high-power, high-repetition-rate single-pass THz FEL radiation. Electron bunches with a beam energy of ~17 MeV and a bunch charge of up to several nC are used to generate THz pulses with a pulse energy of several tens of microjoules. For example, for an electron beam with a charge of ~2.4 nC, more than 100 microjoules were generated at a central wavelength of 100 micrometers. The narrowband spectrum was also demonstrated by spectral measurements. These proof-of-principle experiments pave the way for a tunable, high-repetition-rate THz source providing pulses with energies in the millijoule range.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv2003

Misconceptions regarding the cancellation of self-forces in the transverse equation of motion for an electron in a bunch

As a consequence of motions driven by external forces, self-fields originate within an electron bunch, which are different from the static case. In the case of magnetic external forces acting on an ultrarelativistic beam, the longitudinal self-interactions are responsible for CSR (Coherent Synchrotron Radiation)-related phenomena, which have been studied extensively. On the other hand, transverse self-interactions are present too. At the time being, several existing theoretical analysis of transverse dynamics rely on the so-called cancellation effect, which has been around for more than ten years. In this paper we explain why in our view such an effect is not of practical nor of theoretical importance.

physics.acc-ph↗
arXiv1997

An Interaction Region for Gamma-Gamma and Gamma-Electron Collisions at TESLA/SBLC

Linear colliders offer unique opportunities to study gamma-gamma (gg), gamma-electron (ge) interactions. Using the laser backscattering method one can obtain gg, ge colliding beams with an energy and luminosity comparable to that in e+e- collisions. This work is a part of the Conceptual Design of TESLA/SBLC linear colliders describing a second interaction region for gg, ge collisions. We consider here possible physics in high energy gg, ge collisions, e -> g conversion, requirements to lasers, collision schemes, attainable luminosities, backgrounds, possible lasers, optics at the interaction region and other associated problems.

hep-ex↗