Quantum state features of the FEL radiation from the occupation number statistics.

The coherence of free-electron laser (FEL) radiation has so far been accessed mainly through first and second order correlation functions. Instead, we propose to reconstruct the energy state occupation number distribution of FEL radiation, avoiding the photo-counting drawbacks with high intensities, by means of maximum likelihood techniques based on the statistics of no-click events. Though the ultimate goal regards the FEL radiation statistical features, the interest of the proposal also resides in its applicability to any process of harmonic generation from a coherent light pulse, ushering in the study of the preservation of quantum features in general non-linear optical processes.

Distinctive Picosecond Spin Polarization Dynamics in Bulk Half Metals.

Femtosecond laser excitations in half-metal (HM) compounds are theoretically predicted to induce an exotic picosecond spin dynamics. In particular, conversely to what is observed in conventional metals and semiconductors, the thermalization process in HMs leads to a long living partially thermalized configuration characterized by three Fermi-Dirac distributions for the minority, majority conduction, and majority valence electrons, respectively. Remarkably, these distributions have the same temperature but different chemical potentials. This unusual thermodynamic state is causing a persistent nonequilibrium spin polarization only well above the Fermi energy. Femtosecond spin dynamics experiments performed on Fe_{3}O_{4} by time- and spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy support our model. Furthermore, the spin polarization response proves to be very robust and it can be adopted to selectively test the bulk HM character in a wide range of compounds.

Short-wavelength free-electron laser sources and science: a review.

This review is focused on free-electron lasers (FELs) in the hard to soft x-ray regime. The aim is to provide newcomers to the area with insights into: the basic physics of FELs, the qualities of the radiation they produce, the challenges of transmitting that radiation to end users and the diversity of current scientific applications. Initial consideration is given to FEL theory in order to provide the foundation for discussion of FEL output properties and the technical challenges of short-wavelength FELs. This is followed by an overview of existing x-ray FEL facilities, future facilities and FEL frontiers. To provide a context for information in the above sections, a detailed comparison of the photon pulse characteristics of FEL sources with those of other sources of high brightness x-rays is made. A brief summary of FEL beamline design and photon diagnostics then precedes an overview of FEL scientific applications. Recent highlights are covered in sections on structural biology, atomic and molecular physics, photochemistry, non-linear spectroscopy, shock physics, solid density plasmas. A short industrial perspective is also included to emphasise potential in this area.

Full quadrature regeneration of QPSK signals using sequential phase sensitive amplification and parametric saturation.

We demonstrate all-optical regeneration of both the phase and the amplitude of a 10 GBaud quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) signal using two nonlinear stages. First we regenerate the phase using a wavelength converting phase sensitive amplifier and then we regenerate the amplitude using a saturated single-pump parametric amplifier, returning the signal to its original wavelength at the same time. We exploit the conjugating nature of the two processing stages to eliminate the intrinsic SPM distortion of the system, further improving performance.

Mechanism of ultrafast non-reactive deactivation of the retinal chromophore in non-polar solvents.

The photoisomerization of the all-trans protonated Schiff base of retinal (SBR+) in solution is highly inefficient. The present theoretical and experimental investigation aims at disclosing the mechanisms of ultrafast, non-reactive relaxation of SBR+ that lead to the drastic decrease in the isomerization yield in non-polar solvents. Our pump-probe measurements demonstrate the sensitivity of the all-trans SBR+ excited-state dynamics on the electrostatic interaction with the surrounding counterions and the crucial importance of the chromophore microenvironment. Our computational study focuses for the first time on the retinal chromophore-counterion pairs that are formed in non-polar solvents. By employing TDDFT-based nonadiabatic dynamics simulations and ADC(2) reaction paths calculations we found that internal conversion from the initially excited state to an inter-molecular charge transfer state with excitation localized on the counterion, leads to dissociation of the chromophore-counterion pair and to the abortion of isomerization. Barriers to conical intersection with the inter-molecular charge transfer state were found in the range 0.42-0.67 eV at the ADC(2) level. The existence of a barrier along the non-reactive relaxation pathways explains the observation that in solution the excitation on the blue edge of the SBR+ absorption leads to decrease in the isomerization yield with respect to the excitation at the red edge.

Optimisation of amplitude limiters for phase preservation based on the exact solution to degenerate four-wave mixing.

Adopting an exact solution to four-wave mixing (FWM), wherein harmonic evolution is described by the sum of two Bessel functions, we identify two causes of amplitude to phase noise conversion which impair FWM saturation based amplitude regenerators: self-phase modulation (SPM) and Bessel-order mixing (BOM). By increasing the pump to signal power ratio, we may arbitrarily reduce their impact, realising a phase preserving amplitude regenerator. We demonstrate the technique by applying it to the regeneration of a 10 GBaud QPSK signal, achieving a high level of amplitude squeezing with minimal amplitude to phase noise conversion.

Inter-modal four-wave mixing study in a two-mode fiber.

We demonstrate efficient four-wave mixing among different spatial modes in a 1-km long two-mode fiber at telecommunication wavelengths. Two pumps excite the LP01 and LP11 modes, respectively, while the probe signal excites the LP01 mode, and the phase conjugation (PC) and Bragg scattering (BS) idlers are generated in the LP11 mode. For these processes we experimentally characterize their phase matching efficiency and bandwidth and find that they depend critically on the wavelength separation of the two pumps, in good agreement with the numerical study we carried out. We also confirm experimentally that BS has a larger bandwidth than PC for the optimum choice of the pump wavelength separation.

Evidence for a Strong Topological Insulator Phase in ZrTe_{5}.

The complex electronic properties of ZrTe_{5} have recently stimulated in-depth investigations that assigned this material to either a topological insulator or a 3D Dirac semimetal phase. Here we report a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of both electronic and structural properties of ZrTe_{5}, revealing that the bulk material is a strong topological insulator (STI). By means of angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we identify at the top of the valence band both a surface and a bulk state. The dispersion of these bands is well captured by ab initio calculations for the STI case, for the specific interlayer distance measured in our x-ray diffraction study. Furthermore, these findings are supported by scanning tunneling spectroscopy revealing the metallic character of the sample surface, thus confirming the strong topological nature of ZrTe_{5}.

The FERMI free-electron lasers.

FERMI is a seeded free-electron laser (FEL) facility located at the Elettra laboratory in Trieste, Italy, and is now in user operation with its first FEL line, FEL-1, covering the wavelength range between 100 and 20 nm. The second FEL line, FEL-2, a high-gain harmonic generation double-stage cascade covering the wavelength range 20-4 nm, has also completed commissioning and the first user call has been recently opened. An overview of the typical operating modes of the facility is presented.

Ultrafast Optical Control of the Electronic Properties of ZrTe5.

We report on the temperature dependence of the ZrTe(5) electronic properties, studied at equilibrium and out of equilibrium, by means of time and angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. Our results unveil the dependence of the electronic band structure across the Fermi energy on the sample temperature. This finding is regarded as the dominant mechanism responsible for the anomalous resistivity observed at T*∼160 K along with the change of the charge carrier character from holelike to electronlike. Having addressed these long-lasting questions, we prove the possibility to control, at the ultrashort time scale, both the binding energy and the quasiparticle lifetime of the valence band. These experimental evidences pave the way for optically controlling the thermoelectric and magnetoelectric transport properties of ZrTe(5).

Momentum-resolved spin dynamics of bulk and surface excited States in the topological insulator Bi(2)Se(3).

The prospect of optically inducing and controlling a spin-polarized current in spintronic devices has generated wide interest in the out-of-equilibrium electronic and spin structure of topological insulators. In this Letter we show that only measuring the spin intensity signal over several orders of magnitude by spin-, time-, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy can provide a comprehensive description of the optically excited electronic states in Bi_{2}Se_{3}. Our experiments reveal the existence of a surface resonance state in the second bulk band gap that is benchmarked by fully relativistic ab initio spin-resolved photoemission calculations. We propose that the newly reported state plays a major role in the ultrafast dynamics of the system, acting as a bottleneck for the interaction between the topologically protected surface state and the bulk conduction band. In fact, the spin-polarization dynamics in momentum space show that these states display macroscopically different temperatures and, more importantly, different cooling rates over several picoseconds.

Speed limit of the insulator-metal transition in magnetite.

As the oldest known magnetic material, magnetite (Fe3O4) has fascinated mankind for millennia. As the first oxide in which a relationship between electrical conductivity and fluctuating/localized electronic order was shown, magnetite represents a model system for understanding correlated oxides in general. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism of the insulator-metal, or Verwey, transition has long remained inaccessible. Recently, three-Fe-site lattice distortions called trimerons were identified as the characteristic building blocks of the low-temperature insulating electronically ordered phase. Here we investigate the Verwey transition with pump-probe X-ray diffraction and optical reflectivity techniques, and show how trimerons become mobile across the insulator-metal transition. We find this to be a two-step process. After an initial 300 fs destruction of individual trimerons, phase separation occurs on a 1.5±0.2 ps timescale to yield residual insulating and metallic regions. This work establishes the speed limit for switching in future oxide electronics.

Demonstration of amplified data transmission at 2 µm in a low-loss wide bandwidth hollow core photonic bandgap fiber.

The first demonstration of a hollow core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBGF) suitable for high-rate data transmission in the 2 µm waveband is presented. The fiber has a record low loss for this wavelength region (4.5 dB/km at 1980 nm) and a >150 nm wide surface-mode-free transmission window at the center of the bandgap. Detailed analysis of the optical modes and their propagation along the fiber, carried out using a time-of-flight technique in conjunction with spatially and spectrally resolved (S2) imaging, provides clear evidence that the HC-PBGF can be operated as quasi-single mode even though it supports up to four mode groups. Through the use of a custom built Thulium doped fiber amplifier with gain bandwidth closely matched to the fiber's low loss window, error-free 8 Gbit/s transmission in an optically amplified data channel at 2008 nm over 290 m of 19 cell HC-PBGF is reported.

Competition between the Pseudogap and superconducting states of Bi2Sr2Ca0.92Y0.08Cu2O8+δ single crystals revealed by ultrafast broadband optical reflectivity.

Ultrafast broadband transient reflectivity experiments are performed to study the interplay between the nonequilibrium dynamics of the pseudogap and the superconducting phases in Bi(2)Sr(2}Ca(0.92)Y(0.08)Cu(2)O(8+δ). Once superconductivity is established, the relaxation of the pseudogap proceeds ~2 times faster than in the normal state, and the corresponding transient reflectivity variation changes sign after ~0.5 ps. The results can be described by a set of coupled differential equations for the pseudogap and for the superconducting order parameter. The sign and strength of the coupling term suggest a remarkably weak competition between the two phases, allowing their coexistence.

Photoinduced π-π* band gap renormalization in graphite.

As is well-known, the character of the π orbitals is of paramount importance for the chemical properties of the carbon allotropes and their derived compounds. While at equilibrium the nature of these orbitals is well understood, their photoinduced nonequilibrium behavior is under investigation. Here, we demonstrate that when a UV-laser pulse excites a carrier density larger than 10% of the π* density of state in graphite, a renormalization of the π-π* band gap takes place. This result has been achieved by detecting the transient reflectivity and the associated decay time of an infrared probe following the excitation of a UV pump pulse tuned across the π-π* absorption resonance. The pump photon energy at which both the transient reflectivity and the decay time are maximum is downshifted by 500 meV with respect to the relative absorption maximum at equilibrium. This finding is interpreted as a transient π-π* band gap shrinking of similar magnitude, near the M point of the Brillouin zone.

Time-division-multiplexing using pulse position locking for 100 Gb/s applications.

Recently, there is a great interest in pushing communication technologies to 100 Gb/s. However, there are still many challenges to perform high speed (> 40 Gb/s) clock and data recovery, and data time-division-multiplexing (TDM). Here, we propose and numerically analyze an asynchronous optical packet retimer using parabolic or sinusoidal phase modulation and linear dispersion. This scheme is named pulse position locking (PPL). Numerical simulation shows that this scheme can effectively resynchronize input signals with arbitrary delays to the local clock, and reduce input jitter. The scheme can also be applied to TDM 10 Gb/s and 40 Gb/s signals to over 100 Gb/s.

Time domain add-drop multiplexing scheme enhanced using a saw-tooth pulse shaper.

We experimentally demonstrate the use of saw-tooth optical pulses, which are shaped using a fiber Bragg grating, to achieve robust and high performance time-domain add-drop multiplexing in a scheme based on cross-phase (XPM) modulation in an optical fiber, with subsequent offset filtering. As compared to the use of more conventional pulse shapes, such as Gaussian pulses of a similar pulse width, the purpose-shaped saw-tooth pulses allow higher extinction ratios for the add and drop windows and significant improvements in the receiver sensitivity for the dropped and added channels.

Optical grooming switch with regenerative functionality for transparent interconnection of networks.

We demonstrate a regenerative optical grooming switch for buffer-less interconnection of metro/access and metro/core ring networks with switching functionality in time, space and wavelength domain. Key functionalities of the router are the traffic aggregation with time-slot interchanging (TSI) functionality, the WDM-to-ODTM multiplexing and the OTDM-to-WDM demultiplexing of high-speed channel into lower bit-rate tributaries as well as multi-wavelength all-optical 2R regeneration of several higher-speed signals. BER and Q-factor measurements of different switching scenarios show excellent performance with no error floor and Q-factors above 21 dB.

Analysis of a two-channel 2R all-optical regenerator based on a counter-propagating configuration.

We report a 2R optical regenerator based on the Self-Phase Modulation and offset filtering technique in a bi-directional architecture for the simultaneous processing of two optical channels at 10 Gb/s within a single highly nonlinear fiber. Whereas excellent mitigation of the interchannel nonlinear crosstalk is experimentally demonstrated, we identify Rayleigh backscattering as the major source of crosstalk and show how it is related to the regenerator parameters and operational settings. Finally, we demonstrate that this crosstalk does not introduce any significant additional penalties as compared to single channel operation.

Electronic structure of Mn-doped ZnO by x-ray emission and absorption spectroscopy.

We report an investigation of Mn-doped ZnO pellets with diluted Mn concentration by soft-x-ray emission and absorption spectroscopy. We have compared the electronic structure of two samples with different Mn concentration and different magnetic properties at room temperature: ferromagnetism in one case (Zn(0.98)Mn(0.02)O) and no magnetic order in the other (Zn(0.96)Mn(0.04)O). The results show that most of the Mn ions of the ferromagnetic sample are in the divalent state. For the nonmagnetic sample, a larger contribution of higher oxidation Mn states is present, which can be correlated to the suppressed ferromagnetism. The presence of oxygen atoms bonded to Mn ions and hybridized Mn 3d-O 2p states has been detected in both compounds. The partial density of states in the valence band has been measured with x-ray emission spectroscopy and the Mn 3d states have been found inside the bandgap of ZnO.