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We demonstrate a method to image an object using a self-probing approach based on semiconductor high-harmonic generation. On the one hand, ptychography enables high-resolution imaging from the coherent light diffracted by an object. On the other hand, high-harmonic generation from crystals is emerging as a new source of extreme-ultraviolet ultrafast coherent light. We combine these two techniques by performing ptychography measurements with nanopatterned crystals serving as the object as well as the generation medium of the harmonics. We demonstrate that this strong field in situ approach can provide structural information about an object. With the future developments of crystal high harmonics as a compact short-wavelength light source, our demonstration can be an innovative approach for nanoscale imaging of photonic and electronic devices in research and industry.

Il y a un avant et un après l’article publié en 1985 par Donna Strickland et Gérard Mourou [1] faisant la démonstration de l’amplification par dérive de fréquence (CPA pour Chirped pulse amplification). Le présent dossier de Reflets de la physique a pour but de donner une vue d’ensemble de cette technologie et de ses différentes implications. Le principe de l’amplification par dérive de fréquence est d’abord présenté, avec son développement dans le monde des lasers. Ensuite, sont décrites les applications industrielles relatives au micro-usinage et à l’ophtalmologie, qui concernent les intensités moyennes (1013 - 1014 W cm-2). Les applications à la recherche couvrent les intensités plus fortes (1014 - 1018 W cm-2), qui permettent la génération d’impulsions ultra-courtes et de sources nouvelles de photons et de particules, jusqu’à la ultra-haute intensité (1018 - 1022 W cm-2 et au-delà...) et les lasers multipétawatts.

International audience

In recent years, integral imaging has received increasing attention as a promising 3D imaging technique with one single exposure. In medical diagnostics, the X-ray integral imaging system potentially has a much shorter exposure time than the conventional computed tomography, reducing the radiation damage to the patient. By replacing the micro-lens array with a micro-Fresnel Zone Plate (FZP) array, the classical visible integral imaging system can be transposed to an X-ray system. However, limited by the micro-scale dimensions of FZP in the array and current manufacturing techniques, the number of zones of FZP is required to be small. This may have an important impact on the FZP imaging performance. Based on the scalar diffraction theory, this paper introduces a simulation method and numerically investigated the effect of the number of zones on the FZP imaging performance under different coherence conditions.

X-ray plenoptic apparatuses acquire multi-view single-shot radiographs, but their development is challenging. We present a physical emulation setup for rapidly and inexpensively exploring their design parameter-space, that only uses a flexible laboratory X-ray scanner.

In recent years, integral imaging, a promising three-dimensional imaging technology, has attracted more and more attention for its broad applications in robotics, computational vision, and medical diagnostics. In the visible spectrum, an integral imaging system can be easily implemented by inserting a micro-lens array between a image formation optic and a pixelated detector. By using a micro-Fresnel Zone Plate (FZP) array instead of the refractive lens array, the integral imaging system can be applied in X-ray. Due to micro-scale dimensions of FZP in the array and current manufacturing techniques, the number of zones of FZP is limited. This may have an important impact on the FZP imaging performance. The paper introduces a simulation method based on the scalar diffraction theory. With the aid of this method, the effect of the number of zones on the FZP imaging performance is numerically investigated, especially the case of very small number of zones. Results of several simulation of FZP imaging are presented and show the image can be formed by a FZP with a number of zones as low as 5. The paper aims at offering a numerical approach in order to facilitate the design of FZP for integral imaging.

With high-harmonic generation (HHG), spatially and temporally coherent XUV to soft x-ray (100 nm to 10 nm) table-top sources can be realized by focusing a driving infrared (IR) laser on a gas target. For applications such as coherent diffraction imaging, holography, plasma diagnostics, or pump–probe experiments, it is desirable to have control over the wave front (WF) of the HHs to maximize the number of XUV photons on target or to tailor the WF. Here, we demonstrate control of the XUV WF by tailoring the driving IR WF with a deformable mirror. The WFs of both IR and XUV beams are monitored with WF sensors. We present a systematic study of the dependence of the aberrations of the HHs on the aberrations of the driving IR laser and explain the observations with propagation simulations. We show that we can control the astigmatism of the HHs by changing the astigmatism of the driving IR laser without compromising the HH generation efficiency with a WF quality from λ / 8 to λ / 13.3 . This allows us to shape the XUV beam without changing any XUV optical element.

We present a novel, to the best of our knowledge, Hartmann wave front sensor for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral range with a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.15. The sensor has been calibrated using an EUV radiation source based on gas high harmonic generation. The calibration, together with simulation results, shows an accuracy beyond λ / 39 root mean square (rms) at λ = 32 n m . The sensor is suitable for wave front measurement in the 10 nm to 45 nm spectral regime. This compact wave front sensor is high-vacuum compatible and designed for in situ operations, allowing wide applications for up-to-date EUV sources or high-NA EUV optics.

An efficient nano-sized delivery system is presented here allowing the immobilized, picolinium-tethered organic ligand to be released by X-ray irradiation. A marked difference was observed in the fragmentation efficiency by using conventional Cs-137

APOLLON laser facility was initiated by Nobel Laureat Gerard Mourou to become one of the few European 10 PW laser facilities. End of 2018, APOLLON reached 1 PW peak power. Experiments at this power are under preparation with an expected start during spring 2019 or early summer. In parallel, today the laser is under upgrade for reaching 10 PW in few years with an intermediate step at around 5 PW dedicated to the development of experiments at this high power. APOLLON will be open for external users on 2020 at 1 PW and very likely on 2021 at several PW. APOLLON has two experimental areas on which X-ray sources will be developed. The so-called "Long focal length area" (LFA) is dedicated to electron acceleration and related X-ray emission. The room may accommodate focal length up to 9m. The experiments are designed in a way to allows single or double stage electron acceleration with expected electron energies reaching several 10's of GeV. X-ray emission from betatron will be used as a diagnostic of electron acceleration processes but will be also developed independently aiming at achieving energetic and well-collimated X-ray beam. The experiment has been set in a way to allows heads-on electron-laser collision for Compton scattering experiments. The second target area called "Short Focal area", aims at achieving intensities as high as possible for electron and ion acceleration, non-linear QED tests and X-ray generation through high harmonic generation on solid. X-ray emission ranging up to 10 keV is foreseen, with very high peak power at lower energy.

Emergence of ultrafast EUV to X-ray sources, Free Electron Laser, High harmonic generation, betatron and Compton, has opened new paradigms in physical, chemical, biological and medical sciences by either producing ultrahigh intensities or for ultrafast imaging or by enabling pump-probe experiments at new timescales. Most of these experiments require an excellent or at least a properly defined wavefront (WF). A number of WF sensing techniques have been proposed in the X-Rays, including grating-based interferometry, speckle tracking, pencil beam deflectometry, or curvature sensors. Among these techniques, Hartmann WF sensing demonstrated a number of advantages, such as insensitivity to vibrations, achromaticity and very large dynamic range. Furthermore, the phase and intensity maps are directly retrieve and nearly instantaneously without the use of complex and long algorithms. Imagine Optic developed EUV to X-ray WF sensors since more than 15 years taking benefit of decades of experience in the visible range. We will show several experiments using our EUV sensors for metrology and optimization of ultrafast EUV sources. We recently developed a Hartmann sensor in the 5 - 25keV range. The device is based on a custom scintillator-to-detector optical relay system, as well as on an optimal Hartmann array geometry, providing 20µm spatial WF sampling resolution, over a 3x3 mm² pupil. We show the results of first experiments on a synchrotron beamline at 10 keV, achieving 4pm WF repeatability.

Since its creation in 1996, Imagine Optic designed and manufactured high performance Shack-Hartmann wavefront (WF) sensors for many kinds of applications such as telescope alignment, laser characterization, optics qualification or adaptive optics, and for many different fields such as space optics, microscopy, high power lasers or lithography. Since 2003, Imagine Optic is actively developing EUV to X-ray Hartmann WF sensors for applications on metrology beams emitted by synchrotrons, free-electron lasers, plasma-based soft X-ray lasers and high harmonic generation. Our most recent developments include the realization of a EUV sensor adapted to strongly convergent or divergent beams having numerical aperture as high as 0.15, as well as the production of a hard X-ray sensor working above 10 keV, providing outstanding repeatability as good as 4 pm rms. Our sensors have demonstrated their high usefulness for the metrology of EUV to X-ray optics from single flat or curved mirrors to more complex optical systems (Schwarzschild, Kirkpatrick-Baez static or based on bender technology or with activators). In terms of optics qualification is a clear advantage of actually measuring the wavefront at-wavelength. Also, we show active Kirkpatrick-Baez alignment in few minutes using our WF sensor in both manual and automatic loops at the benefit of strong improvement of the beam focalization on the sample. Recently we started developing our own compact deformable grazing incidence mirror bender. We present a review of the developed sensors, as well as experimental demonstrations of their benefits for optical metrology of various EUV and X-ray optics.

International audience; A focused plenoptic camera has the ability to record and separate spatial and directional information of the incoming light. Combined with the appropriate algorithm, 3D scene could be reconstructed from a single acquisition, over a depth range called plenoptic Depth-of-Field. In this article, we study the contrast variations with depth as a way to assess plenoptic Depth-of-Field. We take into account the impact of diffraction, defocus and, magnification on the resulting contrast. We measure the contrast directly on both simulated and acquired images. We confront our simulations with acquired data. We demonstrate the importance of diffraction and magnification in the final contrast. Contrary to classical optics, the maximum of contrast is not centered around the main object plane, but around a shifted position, with a fast and non-symmetric decrease of contrast.

Imagine Optic (IO) is actively developing EUV to X-ray wavefront (WF) sensors since 2003 for applications on metrology of EUV to X-ray beams emitted by synchrotrons, free-electron lasers, plasma-based soft X-ray lasers and high harmonic generation. Our sensors have demonstrated their high usefulness for metrology of EUV to X-ray optics from single flat or curved mirrors to more complex optical systems (Schwarzschild, Kirkpatrick-Baez static or based on bender technology or with activators). Our most recent developments include the realization of a EUV sensor adapted to strongly convergent or divergent beams having numerical aperture as high as 0.15, as well as the production of a hard X-ray sensor working at 10 keV and higher energies, providing repeatability as good as 4 pm rms. We present a review of the developed sensors, as well as experimental demonstrations of their benefits for various metrology and WF optimization requirements.

International audience; We report in this study the in vivo biodistribution of ultra-small luminescent gold (Au) particles (∼1.5 nm core size; 17 kDa) so-called nanoclusters (NCs) stabilized by bidentate zwitterionic molecules in subcutaneous (s.c.) and orthotopic glioblastoma mice models. Particular investigations on renal clearance and tumor uptake were performed using highly sensitive advanced imaging techniques such as multi-elemental Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) imaging and In-line X-ray Synchrotron Phase Contrast Tomography (XSPCT). Results show a blood circulation time of 6.5±1.3 min accompanied with an efficient and fast renal clearance through the cortex of the kidney with a 66% drop between 1 h and 5 h. With a similar size range, these Au NCs are 5 times more fluorescent than the well-described NCs Au25GSH18 in the near-infrared (NIR) region and present a significantly stronger tumor uptake and retention illustrated by an in vivo s.c. tumor-to-skin ratio of 1.8 measured by non-invasive optical imaging and an ex vivo tumor-to-muscle of 6.1. This work highlights the pivotal role of the surface coating to design optimum Au NCs candidates for cancer treatment.

With the progresses achieved on the development of high quality, highly coherent soft X-ray (or EUV) sources from synchrotrons, free-electrons laser, high harmonics and plasma based soft X-ray laser, as well as for the need of always better optics for imaging (EUV lithography, EUV spatial telescopes, EUV microscopes), the demand on metrology is increasing very fast. Nowadays, many synchrotrons have developed metrology beamlines but with the limit of being too expensive and too large for transposing them to university-scale laboratories or optical firms. At Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquee, we have developed a compact and versatile metrology beamline to test at-wavelength different EUV optics, from single component to full assembly and adaptive optics. The beamline is based on the use of high harmonics generated by the interaction of a 35 fs, 4 kHz, 3 mJ laser with neutral gases. The high harmonics span from 10 to 50 nm and are fully coherent, collimated and exhibit a good wavefront of about lambda/5 rms. The beamline covers a footprint of about 5*1.5 m2 while the driving laser occupies about 4 m2. Itis composed of an interaction chamber where high harmonics are generated, a spectrometer and the metrology chamber (1.5m*0.7m) . We have tested many optical components from flat or curved mirrors to toroidal mirror or Schwarzschild microscope. We will present in detail the beamline as well as results from optic metrology. The beamline is also used for calibration of wavefront sensors. This beamline is well suited for testing EUV adaptive optic in any configurations.

International audience; We demonstrate experimentally the control of the polarization (ellipticity and polarization axis) of femtosecond high-order harmonics. The method relies on a two-color (omega - 2 omega) configuration, where both omega and 2 omega generating fields have linear polarizations with a variable crossing angle. We correlate our measurements with the conservation rules of energy and linear momentum accounting for harmonic generation in a two-color field. We evidence that the generation process, and especially the number of omega and 2 omega photons absorbed for generating a given harmonic, strongly depends on the crossing angle. Finally, relying on a simple formalism, we derive analytical formulae for calculating both polarization axis and ellipticity of the separate harmonics. The model corroborates our results and represents a base for future investigations.

International audience; Plenoptic cameras provide single-shot 3D imaging capabilities, based on the acquisition of the Light-Field, which corresponds to a spatial and directional sampling of all the rays of a scene reaching a detector. Specific algorithms applied on raw Light-Field data allow for the reconstruction of an object at different depths of the scene.Two different plenoptic imaging geometries have been reported, associated with two reconstruction algorithms: the traditional or unfocused plenoptic camera, also known as plenoptic camera 1.0, and the focused plenoptic camera, also called plenoptic camera 2.0. Both systems use the same optical elements, but placed at different locations: a main lens, a microlens array and a detector. These plenoptic systems have been presented as independent. Here we show the continuity between them, by simply moving the position of an object. We also compare the two reconstruction methods. We theoretically show that the two algorithms are intrinsically based on the same principle and could be applied to any Light-Field data. However, the resulting images resolution and quality depend on the chosen algorithm.

Short-wavelength imaging, spectroscopy, and lithography scale down the characteristic length-scale to nanometers. This poses tight constraints on the optics finishing tolerances, which is often difficult to characterize. Indeed, even a tiny surface defect degrades the reflectivity and spatial projection of such optics. In this study, we demonstrate experimentally that a Hartmann wavefront sensor for extreme ultraviolet (XUV) wavelengths is an effective non-contact analytical method for inspecting the surface of multilayer optics. The experiment was carried out in a tabletop laboratory using a high-order harmonic generation as an XUV source. The wavefront sensor was used to measure the wavefront errors after the reflection of the XUV beam on a spherical Ru/B

International audience; Theranostics is an innovative research field that aims to develop high target specificity cancer treatments by administering small metal-based nanoparticles (NPs). This new generation of compounds exhibits diagnostic and therapeutic properties due to the high atomic number of their metal component. In the framework of a combined research program on low dose X-ray imaging and theranostic NPs, X-ray Phase Contrast Tomography (XPCT) was performed at ESRF using a 3 μm pixel optical system on two samples: a mouse brain bearing melanoma metastases injected with gadolinium NPs and, a mouse liver injected with gold NPs. XPCT is a non-destructive technique suitable to achieve the 3D reconstruction of a specimen and, widely used at micro-scale to detect abnormalities of the vessels, which are associated to the tumor growth or to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, XPCT represents a promising and complementary tool to study the biodistribution of theranostic NPs in biological materials, thanks to the strong contrast with respect to soft tissues that metal-based NPs provide in radiological images. This work is relied on an original imaging approach based on the evaluation of the contrast differences between the images acquired below and above K-edge energies, as a proof of the certain localization of NPs. We will present different methods aiming to enhance the localization of NPs and a 3D map of their distribution in large volume of tissues.

International audience; The word "theranostic" derives from the fusion of two terms: therapeutic and diagnostic. It is a promising research field that aims to develop innovative therapies with high target specificity by exploiting the therapeutic and diagnostic properties, in particular for metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) developed to erase cancer. In the framework of a combined research program on low dose X-ray imaging and theranostic nanoparticles (NPs), high resolution Phase-Contrast Tomography images of mice organs injected with gadolinium and gold-NPs were acquired at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). Both compounds are good X-ray contrast agents due to their high attenuation coefficient with respect to biological tissues, especially immediately above K-edge energy. X-ray tomography is a powerful non-invasive technique to image the 3D vasculature network in order to detect abnormalities. Phase contrast methods provide more detailed anatomical information with higher discrimination among soft tissues. We present the images of mice liver and brain injected with gold and gadolinium NPs, respectively. We discuss different image processing methods used aiming at enhancing the accuracy on localizing nanoparticles.

Plasma-based soft-X-ray lasers seeded by high harmonics have only been temporally characterized using streak cameras, with a 1-ps temporal resolution. However, theoretical and experimental studies showed that sub-ps seeded soft-X-ray lasers are achievable. Existing methods do not provide enough information or require multiple shots, needing stable sources. In this work, we theoretically propose a single-shot method to characterize ultrashort soft-X-ray pulses, based on spectrally resolved spatial interference between an unknown pulse and a reference high-harmonic pulse. High harmonics have already been characterized, providing enough information to extract the unknown spectral phase from the 2D interferogram.

Short-wavelength imaging, spectroscopy, and lithography scale down the characteristic length-scale to nano meters. This poses tight constraints on the optics finishing tolerances, which is often difficult to characterize. Indeed, even a tiny surface defect degrades the reflectivity and spatial projection of such optics. In this study, we demonstrate experimentally that a Hartmann wavefront sensor for extreme ultraviolet (XUV) wavelengths is an effective non-contact analytical method for inspecting the surface of multilayer optics. The experiment was carried out in a tabletop laboratory using a high-order harmonic generation as an XUV source. The wavefront sensor was used to measure the wavefront errors after the reflection of the XUV beam on a spherical Ru/B4C multilayer mirror, scanning a large surface of approximately 40 mm in diameter. The results showed that the technique detects the aberrations in the nanometer range., 6 pages, 4 figures

International audience; The creation of high energy density plasma states produced during laser-solid interaction on a sub-picosecond timescale opens a way to create astrophysical plasmas in the lab to investigate their properties, such as the frequency-dependent refractive index. Available probes to measure absorption and phase-changes given by the complex refractive index of the plasma state are extreme-UV (EUV) and soft X-ray (XUV) ultra-short pulses from high harmonic generation (HHG). For demanding imaging applications such as single-shot measurements of solid density plasmas, the HHG probe has to be optimized in photon number and characterized in intensity and wavefront stability from shot-to-shot. In an experiment, a coherent EUV source based on HHG driven by a compact diode-pumped laser is optimized in photons per pulse for argon and xenon, and the shot-to-shot intensity stability and wavefront changes are characterized. The experimental results are compared to an analytical model estimating the HHG yield, showing good agreement. The obtained values are compared to available data for solid density plasmas to confirm the feasibility of HHG as a probe.

Synchrotron radiation news 26(6), 27 - 32 (2013). doi:10.1080/08940886.2013.850384, The free-electron laser (FEL) sources FLASH in Hamburg, LCLS at Stanford, and FERMI in Trieste provide XUV to soft X-ray radiation (FLASH and FERMI) or soft to hard X-ray radiation (LCLS) with unprecedented parameters in terms of ultrashort pulse length, high photon flux, and coherence. These properties make FELs ideal tools for studying ultrafast dynamics in matter on a previously unaccessible level. This paper first reviews results obtained at FEL sources during the last few years in the field of magnetism research. We start with pioneering experiments at FLASH demonstrating the feasibility of magnetic scattering at FELs [1, 2], then present pump–probe scattering experiments [3, 4] as well as the first FEL magnetic imaging experiments [5], and finally discuss a limitation of the scattering methods due to a quenching of the magnetic scattering signal by high-fluence FEL pulses [6]. All of the presented experiments exploit the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism effect [7, 8] to obtain element-specific magnetic scattering contrast, as known from synchrotron experiments [9–12]., Published by Taylor & Francis, Philadelphia, Pa.

Applied Sciences 7(11), 1159 (2017). doi:10.3390/app7111159, We present an optical system based on two toroidal mirrors in a Wolter configuration to focus broadband extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation. Optimization of the focusing optics alignment is carried out with the aid of an XUV wavefront sensor. Back-propagation of the optimized wavefront to the focus yields a focal spot of 3.6 × 4.0 $\mu$m$^2$ full width at half maximum, which is consistent with ray-tracing simulations that predict a minimum size of 3.0 × 3.2 $\mu$m$^2$. This work is important for optimizing the intensity of focused high-order harmonics in order to reach the nonlinear interaction regime., Published by MDPI, Basel

Chirped pulse amplification in optical lasers is a revolutionary technique, which allows the generation of extremely powerful femtosecond pulses in the infrared and visible spectral ranges. Such pulses are nowadays an indispensable tool for a myriad of applications, both in fundamental and applied research. In recent years, a strong need emerged for light sources producing ultra-short and intense laser-like X-ray pulses, to be used for experiments in a variety of disciplines, ranging from physics and chemistry to biology and material sciences. This demand was satisfied by the advent of short-wavelength free-electron lasers. However, for any given free-electron laser setup, a limit presently exists in the generation of ultra-short pulses carrying substantial energy. Here we present the experimental implementation of chirped pulse amplification on a seeded free-electron laser in the extreme-ultraviolet, paving the way to the generation of fully coherent sub-femtosecond gigawatt pulses in the water window (2.3–4.4 nm)., Short laser pulses of femtosecond time scales are in high demand in order to explore the fast electron dynamics in light-matter interactions. Here, the authors demonstrated the compression of free electron laser pulses in the extreme ultraviolet range by using a chirped pulse amplification technique.

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 18970; published online: 06 January 2016; updated: 04 March 2016 The original version of this Article contained a typographical error in the spelling of the author Bharati Tudu, which was incorrectly given as Bahrati Tudu. This has now been corrected in the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

Le rayonnement X est un des outils les plus puissants pour explorer les proprietes de la matiere. Plusieurs generations de tres grands instruments, tels que les synchrotrons, puis plus recemment les lasers a electrons libres (LEL) ont ete developpes, delivrant des faisceaux de rayonnement X aux proprietes de plus en plus remarquables en termes de flux, de duree d’impulsion, d’energie ou de coherence. Les LEL sont actuellement les sources de rayonnement X les plus performantes en termes de brillance, mais tres peu d’installations seront disponibles dans le monde du fait de la taille des infrastructures necessaires et du cout de construction et de fonctionnement. Les lasers intenses ultra-brefs constituent une alternative et la physique de leur interaction avec la matiere offre des possibilites uniques pour le developpement de sources de rayonnement X qui soient a la fois ultra-breves et intenses, mais egalement compactes et a cout modere, laissant envisager l’installation de ces systemes au sein de laboratoires de recherche de taille universitaire. Aujourd'hui, grâce aux progres realises dans ce domaine, les plasmas crees par laser permettent de produire des faisceaux innovants de rayonnement X. Leur compacite, leur parfaite synchronisation avec un laser intense ou toute source lumineuse ou particulaire generee par le laser, leur brievete extreme et leur taille de source sub-micrometrique, en font des rayonnements a fort potentiel d’application et de dissemination au niveau academique et societal.

La generation d’harmoniques elevees dans les gaz, decouverte il y a 25 ans, constitue une source de rayonnement XUV aujourd’hui en plein developpement, en raison notamment de ses proprietes de coherence. Dans cet article, apres avoir presente le principe de ces sources XUV, nous illustrons les possibilites offertes par leurs coherences spatiale, temporelle et spectrale, en detaillant des experiences d’imagerie photonique nanometrique, d’imagerie electronique sub-nanometrique, d’amplification XUV et de synthese d’impulsions attosecondes.

International audience; Does the excitation of ultrafast magnetization require direct interaction between the photons of the optical pump pulse and the magnetic layer? Here, we demonstrate unambiguously that this is not the case. For this we have studied the magnetization dynamics of a ferromagnetic cobalt/palladium multilayer capped by an IR-opaque aluminum layer. Upon excitation with an intense femtosecond-short IR laser pulse, the film exhibits the classical ultrafast demagnetization phenomenon although only a negligible number of IR photons penetrate the aluminum layer. In comparison with an uncapped cobalt/ palladium reference film, the initial demagnetization of the capped film occurs with a delayed onset and at a slower rate. Both observations are qualitatively in line with energy transport from the aluminum layer into the underlying magnetic film by the excited, hot electrons of the aluminum film. Our data thus confirm recent theoretical predictions. Ultrafast demagnetization is a very intriguing phenomenon. The existence and origin of this rapid loss of a thin film's magnetization on the femtosecond timescale has been controversially debated ever since its discovery in 1996 1. Recently, it has been proposed that the origin of this magnetization loss could be due to spin-dependent motion of the optically excited hot valence electrons causing a spatial redistribution of the magnetization, either to an adjacent metallic layer 2,3 or within the magnetic layer itself 4. Strong experimental evidence for this so-called superdiffusive spin transport has been found lately 5-8. However, the experiment of Eschenlohr and co-workers 8 , similar to our study reported here, has been challenged recently. Khorsand and co-workers 9 showed that the Au cap layer employed in that experiment does not yield the postulated, and for the interpretation of the data crucial, attenuation of the incident IR pump pulse. Implementing a truly IR-opaque capping layer, we evade the limitation affecting the interpretation of the results of Eschenlohr and co-workers 8. Proper characterization of the number of photons reaching the magnetic layer demonstrates that the transmitted intensity is by orders of magnitude too small to excite the ultrafast demagnet-ization process.

OPT2X gathers researchers of the newly formed Paris-Saclay University with the goal of building an instrumental platform dedicated to the control, characterization and transport of ultra-short coherent XUV light pulses, in view of cross disciplinary applications in ultrafast science

International audience; The advent of X-ray free-electron lasers has granted researchers an unprecedented access to theultrafast dynamics of matter on the nanometre scale(1-3). Aside from being compact, seededplasma-based soft X-ray lasers (SXRLs) turn out to be enticing as photon-rich(4) sources (up to 10(15)per pulse) that display high-quality optical properties(5,6). Hitherto, the duration of these sources waslimited to the picosecond range(7), which consequently restricts the field of applications. This bottleneckwas overcome by gating the gain through ultrafast collisional ionization in a high-density plasmagenerated by an ultraintense infrared pulse (a few 10(18) W cm(-2)) guided in an optically pre-formedplasma waveguide. For electron densities that ranged from 3 x 10(18) cm(-3) to 1.2 x 10(20) cm(-3), thegain duration was measured to drop from 7 ps to an unprecedented value of about 450 fs, which pavesthe way to compact and ultrafast SXRL beams with performances previously only accessible inlarge-scale facilities.