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Optics express 31(2), 2744 - (2023). doi:10.1364/OE.474668, Published by Optica, Washington, DC

Optics express 31(9), 14212 (2023). doi:10.1364/OE.485779, Published by Optica, Washington, DC

Photonics 10(1), 24 (2023). doi:10.3390/photonics10010024, Published by MDPI, Basel

We present a highly stable, easy-to-use HHG source delivering a record photon flux of >1011 photons/s at 69eV-75eV, being tunable to approx. 100eV which will be used for future photon-hungry applications.

In this contribution, a record-high XUV average power of 12.9 mW in a single harmonic line at 26.5 eV is reported, surpassing previously reported HHG sources by one order of magnitude.

PhotoniX 4(1), 6 (2023). doi:10.1186/s43074-023-00084-6, Published by SpringerOpen, [London]

A fully tunable table-top extreme ultraviolet source providing state-of-the-art photon flux at energies of 50-70 eV is presented. It is based on a nonlinear blueshift and subsequent high harmonic generation in a gas-filled capillary.

We present a high-harmonic driven ptychographic EUV microscope operating at a wavelength of 13.5 nm. Sub-20 nm resolution is demonstrated and the accurate amplitude and phase images are harnessed to identify multiple materials of an integrated circuit.

A gas-filled multipass-cell-based post-compression of 515 nm wavelength second-harmonic pulses of an Yb:fiber laser from 240 fs to 15.7 fs is presented. The system delivers 0.44 mJ of pulse energy, 22.4 W of average power at 50.8 kHz with an overall efficiency of more than 40%. These results display the capabilities of multipass-cell-based post-compression schemes to move from the well-established near infrared spectral region to the undeveloped visible regime, allowing for high efficiencies in conjunction with energetic ultrashort pulses at high repetition rates. The unique combination of parameters in the green spectral range offers an immense potential for future developments of high photon flux higher-order harmonic sources.

Coherent soft X-ray (SXR) sources that provide a high photon flux in the water window are essential tools for advanced spectroscopy (e.g. of magnetic materials [1] and organic compounds [2] ) or for lens-less bio imaging with nm-scale resolution [3] . To date, such sources are mostly large-scale facilities like synchrotrons or free electron lasers. A promising alternative are laser-driven sources, based on high harmonic generation (HHG) in noble gases. Current state-of-the-art SXR HHG uses frequency converted Ti:Sa lasers (to ~2 µm wavelength to increase the phase matching cutoff) with multi-mJ pulse energies at 1 kHz repetition rate [1] . Most recently, there has been a strong push towards increasing the repetition rate of the driving lasers, and the SXR HHG, to enable faster data acquisition, space-charge-reduced SXR photoelectron spectroscopy or coincidence detection [4] , [5] . In this contribution, we present an approach to SXR HHG that is based on nonlinear pulse self-compression and HHG in the same helium gas-filled antiresonant hollow-core fiber (ARHCF). Because of the intensity enhancement resulting from temporal pulse self-compression, the experiments can be driven by moderate-energy, multi-cycle laser pulses, which facilitates repetition rate scaling. We coupled 100 fs-, 250 µJ-pulses centered around 1.9 µm wavelength at a 98 kHz repetition rate to the ARHCF ( Fig. 1a ). When the fiber length (~1.2 m) and the gas pressure at its output (~3.8 bar) were chosen appropriately, the pulses close to its end ( Fig. 1b ) were self-compressed to 4×10 14 W/cm 2 . At this point, the gas is partially ionized, and the chosen pressure ensures phase matching between the driving laser and the generated SXR light ( Fig. 1b ). It is the first time that this approach is experimentally realized, and we have generated a photon flux >10 6 Ph/s/eV at the carbon K-edge ( Fig. 1c ). To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest photon flux at 300 eV reported to date at a laser repetition rate >1 kHz.

Table-top extreme ultraviolet (XUV) light sources based on high harmonic generation (HHG) have emerged as a user-friendly, complementary technique to large scale facilities like synchrotrons and free electron lasers [1] . The ultrashort pulse duration (femtosecond to attosecond) and coherence of these laser-driven sources are highly advantageous for many applications, e.g. coherent diffractive imaging [2] or XUV spectroscopy of atoms, molecules and ions [3] . In addition to the precise control of temporal and spatial properties of the HHG radiation, investigations of narrow band resonances and detailed spectral features in the XUV require tuning of the discrete harmonic lines. Therefore, there is a strong application-driven demand for powerful, tunable XUV combs. To date, a large variety of tunable XUV sources have been demonstrated e.g. by shifting the driving wavelength using optical parametric amplifiers [4] or soliton-plasma dynamics [5] , among others [6] .

High harmonic generation (HHG) enables coherent extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) radiation with ultra-short pulse duration in a table-top setup. This has already enabled a plethora of applications. Nearly all of these applications would benefit from a high photon flux to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and decrease measurement times. In addition, shortest pulses are desired to investigate fastest dynamics in fields as diverse as physics, biology, chemistry and material sciences. In this work, the up-to-date most powerful table-top XUV source with 12.9 ± 3.9 mW in a single harmonic line at 26.5 eV is demonstrated via HHG of a frequency-doubled and post-compressed fibre laser. At the same time the spectrum supports a Fourier-limited pulse duration of sub-6 fs in the XUV, which allows accessing ultrafast dynamics with an order of magnitude higher photon flux than previously demonstrated. This concept will greatly advance and facilitate applications of XUV radiation in science and technology and enable photon-hungry ultrafast studies.

In recent years coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) has evolved into a mature technology. Thanks to its lensless nature, it allowed to bypass the limitations of X-ray optics. At the same time, laser development in combination with high harmonic generation (HHG) has pushed the coherent XUV photon flux to values comparable to 3rd generation synchrotron facilities, which enables lensless imaging experiments that were previously only possible at large-scale facilities. Furthermore, the intrinsic short pulse duration of HHG radiation has potential for imaging experiments down to attosecond time scales. In this contribution, we present our latest results on lensless imaging using a fiber laser driven HHG source at 92 eV. A high photon flux source is used for scanning coherent diffractive imaging (ptychography) demonstrating sub-50 nm resolution. Further, an extension to Fourier transform holography is shown, which enables to increase the useable bandwidth by a factor of five without sacrificing spatial resolution. This paves the way for combing high-resolution table-top lensless imaging with attosecond pump-probe experiments.

We present a CEO-stable 1.1 kW CPA system that is designed to drive a few-cycle-generation stage ( 300W of average power at 100kHz repetition-rate providing

Bright, coherent soft X-ray (SXR) radiation is essential to a variety of applications in fundamental research and life sciences. So far, high photon flux in this spectral region can only be delivered by synchrotrons, free electron lasers or high-order harmonic generation (HHG) sources, which are driven by kHz-class repetition rate lasers with very high peak powers. Here, we establish a novel route toward powerful and easy-to-use SXR sources by presenting a compact experiment, in which nonlinear pulse self-compression to the few-cycle regime is combined with phase-matched HHG in a single, helium-filled antiresonant hollow-core fibre (ARHCF). This enables the first 100 kHz-class repetition rate, table-top SXR source, that delivers an application-relevant flux of 2.8*10^6 Photons/s/eV around 300 eV. The fibre-integration of temporal pulse self-compression (leading to the formation of the necessary strong-field waveforms) and pressure controlled phase-matching will allow compact, high repetition rate laser technology, including commercially available systems, to drive simple and cost-effective, coherent high-flux SXR sources., 12 pages, 3 figures

In this work the experimental realization of a tunable high photon flux extreme ultraviolet light source is presented. This is enabled by high harmonic generation of two temporally delayed driving pulses, resulting in a tuning range of 0.8 eV at the 19th harmonic at 22.8 eV. The implemented approach allows for fast tuning of the spectrum, is highly flexible and is scalable towards full spectral coverage at higher photon energies., 4 pages, 5 figures

Intense, ultrafast laser sources with an operation wavelength beyond the well-established near-IR are valuable tools for exploiting the wavelength scaling laws of strong-field, light-matter interactions. Such laser systems enable the scaling of the phase matching photon energy cut-off in high-order harmonic generation, which allows for the generation of coherent soft X-ray radiation up to, and even beyond, the water window. Such laser-driven sources enable a plethora of subsequent applications. A number of these applications can significantly benefit from an increase in repetition rate. In that regard, ultrafast thulium-doped fiber laser systems (providing a broad amplification bandwidth in the 2 μm wavelength region) represent a promising, average-power scalable laser concept for driving high-order harmonic generation. These lasers are capable of delivering ~100 fs pulses with multi-GW peak power at hundreds of kHz repetition rate. In this work, we show that combining ultrafast thulium-doped fiber CPA systems with HHG in an antiresonant hollow-core fiber is a promising approach to realize high photon energy cut-off HHG from a compact setup. The realization is based on combining nonlinear pulse self-compression (leading to strong-field waveforms) and phase-matched high-order harmonic generation in a single antiresonant hollow-core fiber. In this demonstration, a photon energy cut-off of approximately 330 eV has been achieved, together with a photon flux >106 ph/s/eV at 300 eV. These results emphasize the great potential of exploiting the HHG wavelength scaling laws with 2 μm fiber laser technology. Improvements of the HHG efficiency, the overall HHG yield and further laser performance enhancements will be the subjects of our future work.

Optics express 29(14), 21859 (2021). doi:10.1364/OE.424940, Published by Soc., Washington, DC

Here we present the latest experimental results of a high-power CEP-stable FCPA system. The 16-channel FCPA runs at 0.3% RMS power stability (>9hours) delivering more than 1kW and 10mJ after the compressor at a pulse duration of 280fs. To generate 6fs pulses, stretched hollow-core fibers are being employed. We present a significant up-scaling of this technique towards an output of 5mJ, 100kHz and 6fs.

Intense, ultrafast laser sources with an emission wavelength beyond the well-established near-IR are important tools for exploiting the wavelength scaling laws of strong-field, light-matter interactions. In particular, such laser systems enable high photon energy cut-off HHG up to, and even beyond, the water window thus enabling a plethora of subsequent experiments. Ultrafast thulium-doped fiber laser systems (providing a broad amplification bandwidth in the 2 μm wavelength region) represent a promising, average-power scalable laser concept in this regard. These lasers already deliver ~100 fs pulses with multi-GW peak power at hundreds of kHz repetition rate. In this work, we show that combining ultrafast thulium-doped fiber CPA systems with hollow-core fiber based nonlinear pulse compression is a promising approach to realize high photon energy cut-off HHG drivers. Herein, we show that thulium-doped, fiber-laser-driven HHG in argon can access the highly interesting spectral region around 90 eV. Additionally, we show the first water window high-order harmonic generation experiment driven by a high repetition rate, thulium-doped fiber laser system. In this proof of principle demonstration, a photon energy cut-off of approximately 400 eV has been achieved, together with a photon flux

High-harmonic generation (HHG) driven by ultrashort laser pulses is an established process for the generation of coherent extreme ultraviolet (XUV) to soft X-ray radiation, which has found widespread use in various applications [1] . In recent years photon-hungry applications such as coherent diffractive imaging [2] , [3] and applications based on statistical analysis [3] have required more powerful HHG sources, in particular, at high repetition rates. This need can be addressed by using high average power fiber lasers as the HHG drivers [4] . Here, we present a HHG-based XUV source, capable of providing a large photon flux across a wide range between 66 eV and 150 eV. It is driven by a commercial XUV beamline from Active Fiber Systems GmbH consisting of 100-W average power fiber-laser system, delivering up to 300 µJ at 10 11 photons/s in each harmonic between 69 eV and 75 eV (HH57-HH63). All fluxes are given at the generation point, i.e. directly after the source.

We generate multi-mJ, 10fs pulses at average powers beyond 300W by 30-times compression of the output of an Yb-fiber CPA in a 6m long stretched capillary. Further up-scaling of the parameters is in progress.

We report on soft x-ray HHG driven by a thulium-doped fiber laser. It is the first time that a photon energy cut-off ~400 eV has been demonstrated using this highly scalable laser technology.

High harmonic sources can provide ultrashort pulses of coherent radiation in the XUV and X-ray spectral region. In this paper we utilize a sub-two-cycle femtosecond fiber laser to efficiently generate a broadband continuum of high-order harmonics between 70 eV and 120 eV. The average power delivered by this source ranges from > 0.2 µW/eV at 80 eV to >0.03 µW/eV at 120 eV. At 92 eV (13.5 nm wavelength), we measured a coherent record-high average power of 0.1 µW/eV, which corresponds to 7 · 109 ph/s/eV, with a long-term stability of 0.8% rms deviation over a 20 min time period. The presented approach is average power scalable and promises up to 1011 ph/s/eV in the near future. With additional carrier-envelop phase control even isolated attosecond pulses can be expected from such sources. The combination of high flux, high photon energy and ultrashort (sub-) fs duration will enable photon-hungry time-resolved and multidimensional studies.

A HHG source generating a broadband continuum from 70 eV to 120 eV with an average power of 2 µW is presented. At 92 eV (13.5 nm) 7 109 ph/s/eV are generated with an rms deviation of 0.8% over 20 minutes.

Ptychography enables coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) of extended samples by raster scanning across the illuminating XUV/X-ray beam thereby generalizing the unique advantages of CDI techniques. Table-top realizations of this method are urgently needed for many applications in sciences and industry. Previously, it was only possible to image features much larger than the illuminating wavelength with table-top ptychography although knife-edge tests suggested sub-wavelength resolution. However, most real-world imaging applications require resolving of the smallest and closely-spaced features of a sample in an extended field of view. In this work, we resolve features as small as 2.5 \lambda (45 nm) by using a table-top ptychography setup and a high-order harmonic XUV source. For the first time, a Rayleigh-type criterion is used as a direct and unambiguous resolution metric for high-resolution table-top setup. This reliably qualifies this imaging system for real-world applications e.g. in biological sciences, material sciences, imaging integrated circuits and semiconductor mask inspection., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

The generation of three-cycle multi-millijoule pulses at 318W power is reported by compressing pulses of a Yb-fiber chirped pulse amplifier in a 6 m long stretched flexible hollow fiber. This technique brings high-power lasers to the few-cycle regime. (c) 2019 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement

AIP Advances 10(4), 045227 (2020). doi:10.1063/1.5133154, Published by American Inst. of Physics, New York, NY

Ultrashort laser pulses allow for in-volume processing of glass through non-linear absorption. This results in permanent material changes, largely independent of the processed glass, and it is of particular relevance for cleaving applications. In this paper, a laser with a wavelength of 1030 nm, pulse duration of 19 ps, repetition rate of 10 kHz, and burst regime consisting of either four or eight pulses, with an intra-burst pulse separation of 12.5 ns, is used. Subsequently, a Gaussian-Bessel focal line is generated in a fused silica substrate with the aid of an axicon configuration. We show how the structure of the modifications, including the length of material disruptions and affected zones, can be directly influenced by a reasonable choice of focus geometry, pulse energy, and burst regime. We achieve single-shot modifications with 2 mm in diameter and 7.6 mm in length, exceeding an aspect ratio of 1:3800. Furthermore, a maximum length of 10.8 mm could be achieved with a single shot.

Separation of the high average power driving laser beam from the generated XUV to soft-X-ray radiation poses great challenges in collinear HHG setups due to the losses and the limited power handling capabilities of the typically used separating optics. This paper demonstrates the potential of driving HHG with annular beams, which allow for a straightforward and power scalable separation via a simple pinhole, resulting in a measured driving laser suppression of 5⋅10−3. The approach is characterized by an enormous flexibility as it can be applied to a broad range of input parameters and generated photon energies. Phase matching aspects are analyzed in detail and an HHG conversion efficiency that is only 27% lower than using a Gaussian beam under identical conditions is demonstrated, revealing the viability of the annular beam approach for high flux coherent short-wavelength sources and high average power driving lasers.

Scientific reports 8(1), 8677 (2018). doi:10.1038/s41598-018-27030-y, Published by Nature Publishing Group, London

We present a novel approach for temporal contrast enhancement of energetic laser pulses by filtered self-phase-modulation-broadened spectra. A measured temporal contrast enhancement by at least seven orders of magnitude in a simple setup has been achieved. This technique is applicable to a wide range of laser parameters and poses a highly efficient alternative to existing contrast-enhancement methods.

Recent advances in table-top high-harmonic sources allowed for coherent diffractive imaging with a record spatial resolution of 13 nm. Additionally, integration times of only a few seconds will enable 3D tomography, imaging of extended objects and element-specific imaging in the near future.

Few-cycle lasers are essential for many research areas such as attosecond physics that promise to address fundamental questions in science and technology. Therefore, further advancements are connected to significant progress in the underlying laser technology. Here, two-stage nonlinear compression of a 660 W femtosecond fiber laser system is utilized to achieve unprecedented average power levels of energetic ultrashort or even few-cycle laser pulses. In a first compression step, 408 W, 320 mu J, 30 fs pulses are achieved, which can be further compressed to 216 W, 170 mu J, 6.3 fs pulses in a second compression stage. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average power few-cycle laser system presented so far. It is expected to significantly advance the fields of high harmonic generation and attosecond science. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America

We report on a fiber laser based XUV source generating record high average powers of up to 2.8 mW (8*1014photons/s) in a single harmonic at 21.6 eV and narrow relative energy bandwidths down to 3*10-3 at 26.6 eV.

A 100 kHz high harmonic source with record high >10$^{11}$ photons/s in single harmonics between 55-73 eV is presented. The unique capabilities are underlined by using it for coincidence experiments and measurements on magnetic samples.

Efficient HHG with a frequency-doubled fiber laser yields 970 μW in a single narrowband harmonic at 21.6 eV. In argon the energy bandwidth of H11 at 26.6 eV is ΔE/E=2*10-3 due to a window- resonance.

A fiber-chirped-pulse-amplifier system delivers 660 W of average power 260 fs pulses that are used for two-stage nonlinear compression yielding 408 W, 30fs, 320 µJ pulses and 216 W, 6.3 fs, 170 µJ pulses, respectively.