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A table-top ultrashort light source in the extreme ultraviolet for circular dichroism experiments

Nature Photonics volume 9, pages 93–98 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

Circular dichroism in the extreme ultraviolet range is broadly used as a sensitive structural probe of matter, from the molecular photoionization of chiral species1,2,3 to the magnetic properties of solids4. Extending such techniques to the dynamical regime has been a long-standing quest of solid-state physics and physical chemistry, and was only achieved very recently5 thanks to the development of femtosecond circular extreme ultraviolet sources. Only a few large facilities, such as femtosliced synchrotrons6,7 or free-electron lasers8, are currently able to produce such pulses. Here, we propose a new compact and accessible alternative solution: resonant high-order harmonic generation of an elliptical laser pulse. We show that this process, based on a simple optical set-up, delivers bright, coherent, ultrashort, quasi-circular pulses in the extreme ultraviolet. We use this source to measure photoelectron circular dichroism on chiral molecules, opening the route to table-top time-resolved femtosecond and attosecond chiroptical experiments.

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Figure 1: Elliptical resonant HHG in argon.
Figure 2: Optical polarimetry measurements of HHG in SF6.
Figure 3: Experimental set-up and principle of the PECD measurement.
Figure 4: Photoelectron circular dichroism in fenchone.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank R. Bouillaud and L. Merzeau for technical assistance, and M. Mairesse for mechanical supplies. The authors acknowledge financial support from the Conseil Regional d'Aquitaine (20091304003 ATTOMOL and COLA 2 no. 2.1.3-09010502), l'Agence Nationale pour la Recherche (ANR-14-CE32-0014 MISFITS and ANR-14-CE32-0010 XTASE), the European Union (Laserlab-Europe II no. 228334 and EU-FP7 284464) and the RTRA Triangle de la Physique (Attocontrol).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université de Bordeaux – CNRS – CEA, CELIA, UMR5107, Talence, F33405, France

    A. Ferré, C. Handschin, M. Dumergue, F. Burgy, A. Comby, D. Descamps, B. Fabre, L. Merceron, E. Mével, S. Petit, B. Pons, V. Blanchet & Y. Mairesse

  2. Synchrotron SOLEIL, l'Orme des Merisiers, Saint Aubin BP 48, Gif sur Yvette Cedex, 91192, France

    G. A. Garcia & L. Nahon

  3. CEA, IRAMIS, Lasers, Interactions and Dynamics Laboratory - LIDyL, CEA-SACLAY, Gif-sur-Yvette, F-91191, France

    R. Géneaux, S. Weber & T. Ruchon

  4. Université de Toulouse – CNRS, LCAR-IRSAMC, Toulouse, France

    D. Staedter

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  1. A. Ferré
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Contributions

C.H. built the VMIS. F.B., D.D. and S.P. operated the laser system. A.F., E.M., V.B. and Y.M. built the high-harmonic beamline. A.F., M.D., A.C., R.G., L.M., D.S., S.W., T.R., V.B. and Y.M. carried out the measurements. A.F. and Y.M. analysed the optical polarimetry measurements. G.A.G. and L.N. inverted the VMIS images and extracted and rationalized the PECD data. B.P. performed the theoretical calculations. Y.M. designed the manuscript. All authors contributed to the interpretation of the data and writing of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. Mairesse.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Ferré, A., Handschin, C., Dumergue, M. et al. A table-top ultrashort light source in the extreme ultraviolet for circular dichroism experiments. Nature Photon 9, 93–98 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2014.314

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