Ultrafast nanoscale imaging using high order harmonic generation

Abstract

Coherent diffractive imaging using soft and hard X-rays ultrashort pulses is a promising technique to study ultrafast dynamics in non crystalline objects. However, up to now, it was limited to large scale facilities such as free electron lasers. We developed an optimized table-top soft X-ray source, based on high order harmonic generation. It produces a high intensity femtosecond coherent beam, with up to 1×1011 photons per shot at the source at λ = 32 nm.We recently demonstrated nanoscale imaging in single laser shot mode, with femtosecond time resolution. This opens fascinating perspectives in imaging dynamical phenomena to be spread over a large scientific community. First preliminary results in the investigation of femtosecond spin-reversals of magnetic nano-domains and ultrasfast molecular rearrangements are presented. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012.