arXiv subjects

L. Mercadier

Publications and source records attributed to L. Mercadier.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Monochromatic operation of the SASE3 soft X-ray beamline at European XFEL

The SASE3 soft X-ray beamline at the European XFEL has been designed and built to provide experiments with pink or monochromatic beam in the photon energy range 250 eV - 3000 eV. Here, we focus on the monochromatic operation of the SASE3 beamline and report on design and performance of the SASE3 grating monochromator. The unique capability of an FEL source to produce short femtosecond pulses of high degree of coherence challenges the monochromator design by a demand to control both photon energy and temporal resolution. The aim to transport close to transform-limited pulses poses very high demands on the optics quality, in particular on the grating. The current realization of the SASE3 monochromator is discussed in comparison with optimal design performance. Presently, the monochromator operates with two gratings: the low-resolution grating is optimized for time-resolved experiments and allows for moderate resolving power of about 2000 - 5000 along with pulse stretching of few to few tens of femtoseconds RMS, and the high-resolution grating reaches resolving power of 10000 at a cost of larger pulse stretching.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2021

Non-equilibrium self-assembly of spin-wave solitons in FePt nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles such as FePt in the L10-phase are the bedrock of our current data storage technology. As the grains become smaller to keep up with technological demands, the superparamagnetic limit calls for materials with higher magneto-crystalline anisotropy. This in turn reduces the magnetic exchange length to just a few nanometers enabling magnetic structures to be induced within the nanoparticles. Here we describe the existence of spin-wave solitons, dynamic localized bound states of spin-wave excitations, in FePt nanoparticles. We show with time-resolved X-ray diffraction and micromagnetic modeling that spin-wave solitons of sub-10 nm sizes form out of the demagnetized state following femtosecond laser excitation. The measured soliton spin-precession frequency of 0.1 THz positions this system as a platform to develop miniature devices capable of filling the THz gap.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Optical control of 4f orbital state in rare-earth metals

A change of orbital state alters the coupling between ions and their surroundings drastically. Orbital excitations are hence key to understand and control interaction of ions. Rare-earth (RE) elements with strong magneto-crystalline anisotropy (MCA) are important ingredients for magnetic devices. Thus, control of their localized 4f magnetic moments and anisotropy is one major challenge in ultrafast spin physics. With time-resolved X-ray absorption and resonant inelastic scattering experiments, we show for Tb metal that 4f-electronic excitations out of the ground state multiplet occur after optical pumping. These excitations are driven by inelastic 5d-4f-electron scattering, alter the 4f-orbital state and consequently the MCA with important implications for magnetization dynamics in 4f-metals, and more general for the excitation of localized electronic states in correlated materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2018

Extreme Ultraviolet Superfluorescence in Xenon and Krypton

We present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study on superfluorescence in the extreme ultraviolet wavelength regime. Focusing a high-intensity free-electron laser pulse in a cell filled with Xe or Kr gas, the medium is quasi instantaneously population-inverted by inner-shell ionization on the giant resonance followed by Auger decay. On the timescale of 100 ps a macroscopic polarization builds up in the medium, resulting in superfluorescent emission of several Xe and Kr lines in the forward direction. As the number of emitters in the system is increased by either raising the pressure or the pump-pulse energy, the emission shows an exponential growth of over 4 orders of magnitude and reaches saturation. With increasing yield, we observe line broadening, a manifestation of superfluorescence in the spectral domain. Our novel theoretical approach, based on a full quantum treatment of the atomic system and the irradiated field, shows quantitative agreement with the experiment and supports our interpretation.

physics.atom-ph↗