An extreme ultraviolet Michelson interferometer for experiments at free-electron lasers

Area of Science:

• Optics and photonics
• Plasma physics
• X-ray science

Background:

• Michelson interferometers are crucial for optical measurements.
• Soft x-ray radiation requires specialized interferometry techniques.
• Investigating dense plasmas demands advanced diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel Michelson interferometer for 13.5 nm soft x-ray radiation.
• To characterize its performance using synchrotron radiation.
• To explore its applicability for intense free-electron laser sources and plasma diagnostics.

Main Methods:

• Development of a Michelson interferometer for soft x-ray wavelengths.
• Characterization using synchrotron radiation.
• Analysis of fringe patterns to determine beam splitter curvature.
• Investigation of radiation damage effects for free-electron laser applications.

Main Results:

• The Michelson interferometer was successfully developed for 13.5 nm soft x-ray radiation.
• Temporal coherence was measured to be 13 fs using synchrotron radiation.
• Beam splitter membrane curvature was determined from fringe patterns.
• Applicability and radiation damage at intense free-electron lasers were investigated.

Conclusions:

• The developed Michelson interferometer is suitable for soft x-ray applications.
• It shows promise for investigating solid density plasmas with extreme soft x-ray free-electron lasers.
• A pseudo-Nomarski-interferometry setup using this interferometer is proposed.