Broadband high-resolution X-ray frequency combs.

Optical frequency combs have had a remarkable impact on precision spectroscopy. Enabling this technology in the X-ray domain is expected to result in wide-ranging applications, such as stringent tests of astrophysical models and quantum electrodynamics, a more sensitive search for the variability of fundamental constants, and precision studies of nuclear structure. Ultraprecise X-ray atomic clocks may also be envisaged. In this work, an X-ray pulse-shaping method is proposed to generate a comb in the absorption spectrum of an ultrashort high-frequency pulse. The method employs an optical-frequency-comb laser, manipulating the system's dipole response to imprint a comb on an excited transition with a high photon energy. The described scheme provides higher comb frequencies and requires lower optical-comb peak intensities than currently explored methods, preserves the overall width of the optical comb, and may be implemented using currently available X-ray technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]