X-ray light is like guitar music, with frequencies sliding continuously between harmonics
Ultrashort laser pulses can be used to generate X-rays. Normally, however, only certain specific frequencies are produced. A team from TU Wien and the University of California San Diego has developed a method that makes it possible to tune the frequency continuously.
Researchers from TU Wien and the University of California San Diego have developed a method to continuously tune the frequency of X-ray light, comparing it to guitar music with harmonics sliding between notes. By using a six-meter gas-filled waveguide and a specific type of laser, the team can adjust the frequency precisely, allowing them to hit a targeted X-ray frequency.
This breakthrough, detailed in Communications Physics, addresses the issue of limited frequency options when working with high-harmonic light, which typically behaves like a guitar with fixed frets. The method involves shifting the laser's frequency rather than altering the X-ray light directly. This innovation could revolutionize experiments requiring precise frequency tuning, such as precision spectroscopy, nuclear clocks, and semiconductor metrology.
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