arXiv subjects

Ingo Uschmann

Publications and source records attributed to Ingo Uschmann.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Long Living Hot and Dense Plasma from Relativistic Laser-Nanowire Array Interaction

Long-living, hot and dense plasmas generated by ultra-intense laser beams are of critical importance for laser-driven nuclear physics, bright hard X-ray sources, and laboratory astrophysics. We report the experimental observation of plasmas with nanosecond-scale lifetimes, near-solid density, and keV-level temperatures, produced by irradiating periodic arrays of composite nanowires with ultra-high contrast, relativistically intense femtosecond laser pulses. Jet-like plasma structures extending up to 1~mm from the nanowire surface were observed, emitting K-shell radiation from He-like Ti$^{20+}$ ions. High-resolution X-ray spectra were analyzed using 3D Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations of the laser-plasma interaction combined with collisional--radiative modeling (FLYCHK). The results indicate that the jets consist of plasma with densities of $10^{20}$-$10^{22}$ cm$^{-3}$ and keV-scale temperatures, persisting for several nanoseconds. We attribute the formation of these jets to the generation of kiloTesla-scale global magnetic fields during the laser interaction, as predicted by PIC simulations. These fields may drive long-timescale current instabilities that sustain magnetic fields of several hundred tesla, sufficient to confine hot, dense plasma over nanosecond durations.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

Single-shot sorting of M\"ossbauer time-domain data at X-ray free-electron lasers

M\"ossbauer spectroscopy is widely used to study structure and dynamics of matter with remarkably high energy resolution, provided by the narrow nuclear resonance line widths. However, the narrow width implies low count rates, such that experiments commonly average over extended measurement times or many x-ray pulses (``shots''). This averaging impedes the study of non-equilibrium phenomena. It has been suggested that X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) could enable M\"ossbauer single-shot measurements without averaging, and a proof-of-principle demonstration has been reported. However, so far, only a tiny fraction of all shots resulted in signal-photon numbers which are sufficiently high for a single-shot analysis. Here, we demonstrate coherent nuclear-forward-scattering of self-seeded XFEL radiation, with up to 900 signal-photons per shot. We develop a sorting approach which allows us to include all data on a single-shot level, independent of the signal content of the individual shots. It utilizes the presence of different dynamics classes, i.e. different nuclear evolutions after each excitation. Each shot is assigned to one of the classes, which can then be analyzed separately. Our approach determines the classes from the data without requiring theory modeling nor prior knowledge on the dynamics, making it also applicable to unknown phenomena. We envision that our approach opens up new grounds for M\"ossbauer science, enabling the study of out-of-equilibrium transient dynamics of the nuclei or their environment.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Vacuum birefringence at x-ray free-electron lasers

We study the perspectives of measuring the phenomenon of vacuum birefringence predicted by quantum electrodynamics using an x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) alone. We devise an experimental scheme allowing the XFEL beam to collide with itself under a finite angle, and thus act as both pump and probe field for the effect. The signature of vacuum birefringence is encoded in polarization-flipped signal photons to be detected with high-purity x-ray polarimetry. Our findings for idealized scenarios underline that the discovery potential of solely XFEL-based setups can be comparable to those involving optical high-intensity lasers. For currently achievable scenarios, we identify several key details of the x-ray optical ingredients that exert a strong influence on the magnitude of the desired signatures.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Revealing charge anisotropies in metal compounds via high-purity x-ray polarimetry

Linear polarization analysis of hard x-rays is employed to probe electronic anisotropies in metal-containing complexes with very high selectivity. We use the pronounced linear dichroism of nuclear resonant x-ray scattering to determine electric field gradients in an iron(II) containing compound as they evolve during a temperature-dependent high-spin/low-spin phase transition. This method constitutes a novel approach to analyze changes in the electronic structure of metal-containing molecules as function of external parameters or stimuli. The polarization selectivity of the technique allows us to monitor defect concentrations of electronic valence states across phase transitions. This opens new avenues to trace electronic changes and their precursors that are connected to structural and electronic dynamics in the class of metal compounds ranging from simple molecular solids to biological molecules.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Disentangling X-ray dichroism and birefringence via high-purity polarimetry

High-brilliance synchrotron radiation sources have opened new avenues for X-ray polarization analysis that go far beyond conventional polarimetry in the optical domain. With linear X-ray polarizers in a crossed setting polarization extinction ratios down to 10$^{-10}$ can be achieved. This renders the method sensitive to probe tiniest optical anisotropies that would occur, for example, in strong-field QED due to vacuum birefringence and dichroism. Here we show that high-purity polarimetry can be employed to reveal electronic anisotropies in condensed matter systems with utmost sensitivity and spectral resolution. Taking CuO and La$_2$CuO$_4$ as benchmark systems, we present a full characterization of the polarization changes across the Cu K-absorption edge and their separation into dichroic and birefringent contributions. At diffraction-limited synchrotron radiation sources and X-ray lasers, where polarization extinction ratios of 10$^{-12}$ can be achieved, our method has the potential to assess birefringence and dichroism of the quantum vacuum in extreme electromagnetic fields.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2015

Characterization and Application of Hard X-Ray Betatron Radiation Generated by Relativistic Electrons from a Laser-Wakefield Accelerator

The necessity for compact table-top x-ray sources with higher brightness, shorter wavelength and shorter pulse duration has led to the development of complementary sources based on laser-plasma accelerators, in contrast to conventional accelerators. Relativistic interaction of short-pulse lasers with underdense plasmas results in acceleration of electrons and in consequence in the emission of spatially coherent radiation, which is known in the literature as betatron radiation. In this article we report on our recent results in the rapidly developing field of secondary x-ray radiation generated by high-energy electron pulses. The betatron radiation is characterized with a novel setup allowing to measure the energy, the spatial energy distribution in the far-field of the beam and the source size in a single laser shot. Furthermore, the polarization state is measured for each laser shot. In this way the emitted betatron x-rays can be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to retrieve very subtle information of the electron dynamics within the plasma wave. Parallel to the experimental work, 3D particle-in-cell simulations were performed, proved to be in good agreement with the experimental results.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Crystallographic investigation of Au nanoparticles embedded in a SrTiO$_3$ thin film for plasmonics applications by means of synchrotron radiation

Self-organized monocrystalline Au nanoparticles with potential applications in plasmonics are grown in a SrTiO$_3$ matrix by a novel two-step deposition process. The crystalline preferred orientation of these Au nanoparticles is investigated by synchrotron hard x-ray diffraction. Nanoparticles preferentially align with the (111) direction along the substrate normal (001), whereas two in-plane orientations are found with $[110]_{SrTiO_3} \: || \: [110]_{Au}$ and $[100]_{SrTiO_3} \: || \: [110]_{Au}$. Additionally, a smaller diffraction signal from nanoparticles with the (001) direction parallel to the substrate normal (001) is observed; once again, two in-plane orientations are found, with $[100]_{SrTiO_3} \: || \: [100]_{Au}$ and $[100]_{SrTiO_3} \: || \: [110]_{Au}$. The populations of the two in-plane orientations are found to depend on the thickness of the gold film deposited in the first step of the growth.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Vacuum-assisted generation and control of atomic coherences at x-ray energies

The control of light-matter interaction at the quantum level usually requires coherent laser fields. But already an exchange of virtual photons with the electromagnetic vacuum field alone can lead to quantum coherences, which subsequently suppress spontaneous emission. We demonstrate such spontaneously generated coherences (SGC) in a large ensemble of nuclei operating in the x-ray regime, resonantly coupled to a common cavity environment. The observed SGC originates from two fundamentally different mechanisms related to cooperative emission and magnetically controlled anisotropy of the cavity vacuum. This approach opens new perspectives for quantum control, quantum state engineering and simulation of quantum many-body physics in an essentially decoherence-free setting.

quant-ph↗