Non-thermal desorption/ablation of molecular solids induced by ultra-short soft x-ray pulses

J. Chalupský, L. Juna, V. Hájková, J. Cihelka, L. Vyšín, J. Gautier, J. Hajdu, S. P. Hau-Riege, M. Jurek, J. Krzywinski, R. A. London, E. Papalazarou, J. B. Pelka, G. Rey, S. Sebban, R. Sobierajski, N. Stojanovic, K. Tiedtke, S. Toleikis, T. TschentscherC. Valentin, H. Wabnitz, P. Zeitoun

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We report the first observation of single-shot soft x-ray laser induced desorption occurring below the ablation threshold in a thin layer of poly (methyl methacrylate) - PMMA. Irradiated by the focused beam from the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg (FLASH) at 21.7nm, the samples have been investigated by atomic-force microscope (AFM) enabling the visualization of mild surface modifications caused by the desorption. A model describing non-thermal desorption and ablation has been developed and used to analyze single-shot imprints in PMMA. An intermediate regime of materials removal has been found, confirming model predictions. We also report below-threshold multiple-shot desorption of PMMA induced by high-order harmonics (HOH) at 32nm. Short-time exposure imprints provide sufficient information about transverse beam profile in HOH's tight focus whereas long-time exposed PMMA exhibits radiation-initiated surface hardening making the beam profile measurement infeasible.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)208-217
Number of pages10
JournalOptics Express
Volume17
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 5 Jan 2009

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