Femtosecond siliconKαpulses from laser-produced plasmas

Abstract
Ultrashort bursts of silicon Kα x-ray radiation from femtosecond-laser-produced plasmas have been generated. A cross-correlation measurement employing a laser-triggered ultrafast structural change of a CdTe crystal layer (320 nm) shows a Kα pulse duration between 200 fs and 640 fs. This result is corroborated by particle in cell simulations combined with a Monte-Carlo electron stopping code and calculations on the structural changes of the crystal lattice.