TY  - JOUR
A1  - Beye, Martin
A1  - Schreck, S.
A1  - Sorgenfrei, Nomi
A1  - Trabant, C.
A1  - Pontius, N.
A1  - Schüßler-Langeheine, C.
A1  - Wurth, W.
A1  - Föhlisch, Alexander
T1  - Stimulated X-ray emission for materials science
T2  - Nature : the international weekly journal of science
N2  - Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering and X-ray emission spectroscopy can be used to probe the energy and dispersion of the elementary low-energy excitations that govern functionality in matter: vibronic, charge, spin and orbital excitations(1-7). A key drawback of resonant inelastic X-ray scattering has been the need for high photon densities to compensate for fluorescence yields of less than a per cent for soft X-rays(8). Sample damage from the dominant non-radiative decays thus limits the materials to which such techniques can be applied and the spectral resolution that can be obtained. A means of improving the yield is therefore highly desirable. Here we demonstrate stimulated X-ray emission for crystalline silicon at photon densities that are easily achievable with free-electron lasers(9). The stimulated radiative decay of core excited species at the expense of non-radiative processes reduces sample damage and permits narrow-bandwidth detection in the directed beam of stimulated radiation. We deduce how stimulated X-ray emission can be enhanced by several orders of magnitude to provide, with high yield and reduced sample damage, a superior probe for low-energy excitations and their dispersion in matter. This is the first step to bringing nonlinear X-ray physics in the condensed phase from theory(10-16) to application.
Y1  - 2013
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/34737
SN  - 0028-0836
VL  - 501
IS  - 7466
SP  - 191
EP  - +
PB  - Nature Publ. Group
CY  - London
ER  -