Attosecond ionization time delays in strong-field physics

Electronic processes within atoms and molecules reside on the timescale of attoseconds. Recent advances in the laserbased pump-probe interrogation techniques have made possible the temporal resolution of ultrafast electronic processes on the attosecond timescale, including photoionization and tunneling ionization. These interrogation techniques include the attosecond streak camera, the reconstruction of attosecond beating by interference of two-photon transitions, and the attoclock. While the former two are usually employed to study photoionization processes, the latter is typically used to investigate tunneling ionization. In this review, we briefly overview these timing techniques towards an attosecond temporal resolution of ionization processes in atoms and molecules under intense laser fields. In particular, we review the backpropagation method, which is a novel hybrid quantum-classical approach towards the full characterization of tunneling ionization dynamics. Continued advances in the interrogation techniques promise to pave the pathway towards the exploration of ever faster dynamical processes on an ever shorter timescale.

Ultrafast two-dimensional x-ray imager with temporal fiducial pulses for laser-produced plasmas

It is challenging to make an ultrafast diagnosis of the temporal evolution of small and short-lived plasma in two dimensions. To overcome this difficulty, we have developed a well-timed diagnostic utilizing an x-ray streak camera equipped with a row of multi-pinhole arrays. By processing multiple sets of one-dimensional streaked image data acquired from various pinholes, we are capable of reconstructing high-resolution two-dimensional images with a temporal resolution of 38 ps and a spatial resolution of 18 μm. The temporal fiducial pulses accessed from external sources can advance the precise timing and accurately determine the arrival time of the laser. Moreover, it can correct the nonlinear sweeping speed of the streak camera. The effectiveness of this diagnostic has been successfully verified at the Shenguang-II laser facility,providing an indispensable tool for observing complex physical phenomena, such as the implosion process of laser-fusion experiments.

Control and image processing for streak tube imaging lidar based on VB and MATLAB

In this letter, we develope a control and image processing system for Streak Tube Imaging Lidar （STIL）. In the system, the data acquisition card control and the software interface are programmed in Visual Basic （VB） while the image processing is finished by MATLAB. A STIL imaging experiment is carried out in the laboratory. We obtained the intensity and range images of targets with pseudo color by image processing and reconstruction for a set of raw streak images of targets at different distances acquired by STIL. The range resolution is better than 2 centimeters.

Improving the precision of fluorescence lifetime measurement using a streak camera

Streak camera has high temporal resolution and high sensitivity, and is a powerful tool in biomedical study to measure fluorescence lifetime and perform fluorescence lifetime imaging. However, nonuniformity of the gain in the streak tube and nonlinearity of the sweeping speed limit the precision of fluorescence lifetime measurement, particularly when fluorescence lifetimes are short. We have constructed a two-photon excitation fluorescence lifetime measurement system that is based on a synchroscan streak camera and have developed accordingly a method to correct the effect of gain nonuniformity and nonlinearity of sweeping speed on the measurement precision. A continuous-wave laser of high stability is used to calibrate the gain of the streak camera, and a Fabry-Perot etalon is used to calibrate the nonlinearity of the sweeping speed. Fitting algorithms are used to correct the gain of the streak camera and nonlinearity of the sweeping speed respectively, which significantly improves the measurement precision of the system, as characterized through the fluorescence lifetime of the short-lived fluorescence dye, Rose Bengal. Experimental results show that the measurement fluctuation of the lifetime has been improved from more than 10% to 2% after correcting the effects of gain nonuniformity and sweeping speed nonlinearity.

Time-resolved measurement technique for pulsed electron beam envelope basing on framing and streaking principle

The time-resolved electron beam envelope parameters, including cross sectional distribution and beam centroid position, are very important for the study of beam transmission characteristics in a magnetic field and for verifying the rationality of the magnetic field parameters employed. One kind of high time-resolved beam envelope measurement system has recently been developed, constituted of a high-speed framing camera and a streak camera. It can obtain three panoramic images of the beam and time continuous information along the given beam profile simultaneously. Recently obtained data has proved that several fast vibrations of the beam envelope along the diameter direction occur during the front and the tail parts of the electron beam. The vibration period is several nanoseconds. The effect of magnetic field on the electron beam is also observed and verified. Beam debugging experiments have proved that the existing beam transmission design is reasonable and viable. This beam envelope measurement system will establish a good foundation for beam physics research.

Streak camera calibration for bunch length measurement at BEPC II

Purpose Streak camera is an important device for bunch length measurement.The errors introduced by streak camera should be considered in measurement.In order to accurately measure bunch length,some streak camera calibrations are studied at BEPC II.Methods In this context,the point spread function,caused by the optical system,is measured at focus mode with both deflec-tions disabled.In the same conditions,the influence of camera gain on measurement is studied.For the dual sweep mode of streak camera,a calibration method using electrical delays is applied to calibrate the beam size result.Results Firstly,a point spread function calibration 1.78 ps of streak camera optical system is obtained with focus mode.Secondly,studying the effect of camera gain on measurement,an optimal camera gain range from 506 to 662 is selected,in which the bunch length measurement error is within 0.5 ps.Thirdly,a dual sweep calibration factor 1.02 is obtained.Conclusions For BEPCII bunch length,there is a little difference before and after the streak camera calibrations.However,for the accurate measurement of ultra-short bunch length,the calibrations are of great significance.

Research and Measurement of Synchrotron Radiation System for HLS

The paper introduces the synchrotron radiation system for Hefei Light Source (HLS),which includes the streak camera system,the bunch length system using photoelectric method,the beam profile measurement system,and the photon beam position measurement system.The bunch length and bunch lengthening were measured using the streak camera system and the photoelectric method.The beam profile measurement system was used to observe the suppression effects of sextupole on beam transverse instability and the feedback effects of the transverse bunch-by-bunch feedback system.The photon beam position measurement system used two wire-type monitors and the logarithmic signal processor,which was used to detect the beam motions.