Fumihiro Koike

We demonstrate time-domain observation of the core-hole decay of xenon atoms based on photoelectron interferometry, using phase-coherent extreme ultraviolet pulse pairs generated from a synchrotron light source. By utilizing a tandem undulator configuration, we induced interference between innershell photoelectron wave packets and measured the resulting Ramsey fringes via photoelectron spectroscopy. The contrast of these fringes exhibits a clear decay as a function of the femtosecond-scale time delay between the two pulses, directly reflecting the temporal evolution of the core hole. This synchrotron-based interferometry holds the potential to probe the ultrafast electron dynamics with element selectivity and site selectivity.

This study has systematically investigated the atomic number (Z) dependence of spectra from gallium-like (Ga-like) ions of heavy elements. We have mainly analyzed the experimental spectra recorded in high-temperature plasmas produced in the Large Helical Device (LHD) for various elements with atomic numbers from 57 onward. The measured wavelengths are compared with theoretical values calculated with a multi-configuration Dirac Fock code. As a result, we have successfully obtained Z-dependent wavelengths of several prominent transitions of Ga-like ions, including a magnetic dipole (M1) transition. Many of them have been experimentally identified for the first time in this study. The present results manifest the significant effects of configuration interaction and spin–orbit interaction for highly charged heavy ions.

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectra of highly charged praseodymium (Pr) and neodymium (Nd) ions have been investigated in optically thin high-temperature plasmas produced in the Large Helical Device (LHD), a magnetically confined torus device for fusion research. Discrete spectral lines emitted mainly from highly charged ions having 4s or 4p outermost electrons were observed in plasmas with electron temperatures of 0.8–1.8 keV. Most of the isolated lines of Ga-like to Cu-like Nd ions were identified by a comparison with the recent data recorded in an electron beam ion trap (EBIT). The isolated lines of Pr ions corresponding to the identified lines of Nd ions were easily assigned from a similarity of the spectral feature for these two elements. As a result, some of the lines of Pr ions have been newly identified experimentally for the first time in this study.

Soft X-ray spectra from high Z rare-earth (lanthanide) elements have been systematically observed in optically thin, high-temperature plasmas produced in the Large Helical Device (LHD), a facility for magnetically confined fusion research. It has been demonstrated that the discrete and quasicontinuum (UTA) spectral features from highly charged lanthanide ions are observed depending on the plasma temperature. The analyses of the measured spectra are ongoing by comparisons with theoretical calculations and/or previous experimental data available. The discrete spectra recorded in high-temperature conditions are dominated by individual lines of Ge- to Ni-like ions, while prominent peaks in the narrowed UTA spectra observed in low-temperature conditions are well explained by the transitions of Ag- to Rh-like ions.

We have systematically observed extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectra from highly charged ions of nine lanthanide elements with atomic numbers from 60–70 in optically thin plasmas produced in the Large Helical Device (LHD). Discrete spectral features with isolated lines from relatively higher charge states around Cu-like ions are observed under high temperature conditions around 2 keV, while narrowed quasicontinuum features from charge states around Ag-like ions are observed under low temperature conditions below 1 keV. The positions of the lines and the quasicontinuum features systematically move to shorter wavelengths as the atomic number increases. The wavelengths of the main peaks in the quasicontinuum features agree well with those of singlet transitions of Pd-like ions reported previously. We have easily identified discrete spectral lines from Cu-like and Ag-like ions, some of which are experimentally identified for the first time in the LHD. Their wavelengths are compared with theoretical calculations using a GRASP family of atomic codes. The theoretical values are synthesized to the LHD experimental data for the cases of Ag- and Pd-like ions.