Spectrally tunable ultrashort monochromatized extreme ultraviolet pulses at 100 kHz

Abstract

We present the experimental realization of spectrally tunable, ultrashort, quasi-monochromatic extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses generated at 100 kHz repetition rate in a user-oriented gas high harmonic generation beamline of the Extreme Light Infrastructure—Attosecond Light Pulse Source facility. Versatile spectral and temporal shaping of the XUV pulses is accomplished with a double-grating, time-delay compensated monochromator accommodating the two composing stages in a novel, asymmetrical geometry. This configuration supports the achievement of high monochromatic XUV flux (2.8 ± 0.9 × 1010 photons/s at 39.7 eV selected with 700 meV full width at half maximum bandwidth) combined with ultrashort pulse duration (4.0 ± 0.2 fs using 12.1 ± 0.6 fs driving pulses) and small spot size (sub-100 µm). Focusability, spectral bandwidth, and overall photon flux of the produced radiation were investigated, covering a wide range of instrumental configurations. Moreover, complete temporal (intensity and phase) characterization of the few-femtosecond monochromatic XUV pulses—a goal that is difficult to achieve by conventional reconstruction techniques—has been realized using a ptychographic algorithm on experimentally recorded XUV-infrared pump–probe traces. The presented results contribute to in situ, time-resolved experiments, accessing direct information on the electronic structure dynamics of novel target materials.