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Updated: May 27, 2026

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation
Published on: February 4, 2017
First observation of the point spread function of optical transition radiation
Pavel Karataev1, Alexander Aryshev, Stewart Boogert
1John Adams Institute at Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, United Kingdom. karataev@pp.rhul.ac.uk
Abstract:
We represent the first experimental observation of the point spread function (PSF) of optical transition radiation (OTR) performed at KEK-Accelerator Test Facility extraction line. We have demonstrated that the PSF vertical polarization component has a central minimum with a two lobe distribution. However, the distribution width varied significantly with wavelength. We assume that we observed a severe effect from spherical or chromatic aberrations which are not taken into account in any existing theoretical model. We believe that the result of this work will encourage theoreticians to continue developing the theory as it is important for various transition radiation applications. Nonuniform distribution of the OTR PSF creates an opportunity for developing a submicrometer transverse beam size monitor.
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