Eric Flint Cunningham

All Publications

• Time-resolved X-ray imaging of the current filamentation instability in solid-density plasmas. Nature communications Schoenwaelder, C., Marret, A., Assenbaum, S., Curry, C. B., Cunningham, E., Dyer, G., Funk, S., Glenn, G. D., Goede, S., Khaghani, D., Rehwald, M., Schramm, U., Treffert, F., Vescovi, M., Zeil, K., Glenzer, S. H., Fiuza, F., Gauthier, M. 2026

  Abstract

  The streaming of energetic charged particles can magnetize astrophysical and laboratory plasmas via the current filamentation instability. Despite its importance, the experimental characterization of this instability has remained a challenge. Here, we report an experiment combining a high-intensity optical laser with a high-brightness X-ray free electron laser that successfully images the instability in solid-density plasmas with 200 nm spatial and 50 fs temporal resolution. We characterize the development of mum-scale filamentary structures and their evolution over tens of picoseconds through a non-linear merging process. The measured plasma density modulations and long merging time reveal the critical importance of space-charge effects and ion motion on this electron-driven instability. Supporting theoretical analysis and kinetic simulations help distinguish the relative role of space-charge and resistive effects. Our findings indicate that magnetic fields on the order of 10 megagauss are produced, with important implications for transport and radiation emission of energetic particles in plasmas.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-67160-2

  View details for PubMedID 41513673

• Observation of a mixed close-packed structure in superionic water. Nature communications Andriambariarijaona, L., Stevenson, M. G., Bethkenhagen, M., Lecherbourg, L., Lefèvre, F., Vinci, T., Appel, K., Baehtz, C., Benuzzi-Mounaix, A., Bergermann, A., Bespalov, D., Brambrink, E., Cowan, T. E., Cunningham, E., Descamps, A., Cafiso, S. D., Dyer, G., Fletcher, L. B., French, M., Frost, M., Galtier, E., Gleason, A. E., Glenzer, S. H., Glenn, G. D., Guarnelli, Y., Hartley, N. J., He, Z., Herbert, M. L., Hernandez, J. A., Heuser, B., Höppner, H., Humphries, O. S., Husband, R., Khaghani, D., Konôpková, Z., Kuhlke, J., Garcia, A. L., Lee, H. J., Lindqvist, B., Lütgert, J., Lynn, W., Masruri, M., May, P., McBride, E. E., Nagler, B., Nakatsutsumi, M., Naedler, J. P., Ofori-Okai, B. K., Pandolfi, S., Pelka, A., Preston, T. R., Qu, C., Randolph, L., Ranjan, D., Redmer, R., Rips, J., Schoenwaelder, C., Schumacher, S., Schuster, A. K., Schwinkendorf, J. P., Strohm, C., Tang, M., Toncian, T., Voigt, K., Vorberger, J., Zastrau, U., Kraus, D., Ravasio, A. 2025

  Abstract

  The study of superionic (SI) water has been a highly active research area since its theoretical prediction. Despite significant experimental and computational efforts, its melting curve and the stability of different oxygen lattices remain debated, impacting our understanding of SI ice's peculiar transport properties. Experimental results at lower pressures show disagreement, whereas data at higher pressures are scarce due to the extreme challenges of such experiments. In this work, we present ultrafast X-ray diffraction results of water compressed by multiple shocks to pressures up to  ~ 180 GPa. At pressures exceeding 150 GPa and temperatures around 2500 K, our diffraction patterns challenge the pure FCC-SI phase model, providing experimental evidence of the mixed close-packed superionic phase predicted by advanced ab initio calculations. At lower pressures, we observe simultaneous signatures of BCC and FCC structures within a pressure-temperature range consistent with some static-compression experiments, helping to resolve contradictory results in literature. These insights offer new constraints on the stability domains of SI phases and reveal detailed structural features, such as stacking faults. Our results advance the structural understanding of high-pressure SI ice to a level approaching that of ice I polymorphs, with potential implications for water-rich interiors of giant planets.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-67063-2

  View details for PubMedID 41354672

• Ultrafast structural dynamics of silicate glasses in extreme environments COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS Madhavi, M., Jangid, R., Yin, D., Smith, S., Mehta, J., Cheng, Y., Rao, P., Doss, K., Hauke, B., Gerace, K., Jeppson, S., Botu, S., Yousefi, S., Ocampo, I., Kim, D., Pandolfi, S., Cunningham, E., Heimann, P., Khaghani, D., Lee, H., Spaulding, D. K., Mauro, J. C., Gleason, A. E., Kukreja, R. 2025; 6 (1)

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43246-025-00950-9

  View details for Web of Science ID 001645792700001

• Ultrafast x-ray diffraction of high-pressure phases in dynamically compressed TiO2 PHYSICAL REVIEW B Ocampo, I. K., Smith, R. F., Kim, D., Prakapenka, V., Speziale, S., Schoelmerich, M., Appel, K., Polsin, D. N., Marshall, M., Tracy, S. J., Miozzi, F., Lee, H. J., Galtier, E., Cunningham, E., Mcguire, C., Vennari, C., Gleason, A. E., Duffy, T. S. 2025; 112 (10)

  View details for DOI 10.1103/c7tc-66j6

  View details for Web of Science ID 001575144400005

• Single-shot in-line x-ray phase-contrast imaging of void-shockwave interactions in fusion energy materials PHYSICS OF PLASMAS Hodge, D. S., Leong, A. T., Kurzer-Ogul, K., Pandolfi, S., Montgomery, D. S., Shang, J., Aluie, H., Marchesini, S., Liu, Y., Li, K., Sakdinawat, A., Galtier, E. C., Nagler, B., Lee, H. J., Cunningham, E. F., Carver, T. E., Bolme, C. A., Ramos, K. J., Khaghani, D., Kozlowski, P. M., Gleason, A. E., Sandberg, R. L. 2025; 32 (8)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0272820

  View details for Web of Science ID 001573519100001

• Superheating gold beyond the predicted entropy catastrophe threshold. Nature White, T. G., Griffin, T. D., Haden, D., Lee, H. J., Galtier, E., Cunningham, E., Khaghani, D., Descamps, A., Wollenweber, L., Armentrout, B., Convery, C., Appel, K., Fletcher, L. B., Goede, S., Hastings, J. B., Iratcabal, J., McBride, E. E., Molina, J., Monaco, G., Morrison, L., Stramel, H., Yunus, S., Zastrau, U., Glenzer, S. H., Gregori, G., Gericke, D. O., Nagler, B. 2025; 643 (8073): 950-954

  Abstract

  In their landmark study1, Fecht and Johnson unveiled a phenomenon that they termed the 'entropy catastrophe', a critical point where the entropy of superheated crystals equates to that of their liquid counterparts. This point marks the uppermost stability boundary for solids at temperatures typically around three times their melting point. Despite the theoretical prediction of this ultimate stability threshold, its practical exploration has been prevented by numerous intermediate destabilizing events, colloquially known as a hierarchy of catastrophes2-5, which occur at far lower temperatures. Here we experimentally test this limit under ultrafast heating conditions, directly tracking the lattice temperature by using high-resolution inelastic X-ray scattering. Our gold samples are heated to temperatures over 14 times their melting point while retaining their crystalline structure, far surpassing the predicted threshold and suggesting a substantially higher or potentially no limit for superheating. We point to the inability of our samples to expand on these very short timescales as an important difference from previous estimates. These observations provide insights into the dynamics of melting under extreme conditions.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41586-025-09253-y

  View details for PubMedID 40702260

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC12286838

• Stability of the fcc phase in shocked nickel up to 332 GPa. Nature communications Pereira, K. A., Clarke, S. M., Singh, S., Briggs, R., McGuire, C. P., Lee, H. J., Khaghani, D., Nagler, B., Galtier, E., Cunningham, E., McGonegle, D., Tracy, S. J., Vennari, C., Gorman, M. G., Coleman, A. L., Davis, C., Hutchinson, T., Eggert, J. H., Smith, R. F., Walsh, J. P. 2025; 16 (1): 4385

  Abstract

  Despite making up 5-20 wt.% of Earth's predominantly iron core, the melting properties of elemental nickel at core conditions remain poorly understood, due largely to a dearth of experimental data. We present here an in situ X-ray diffraction study performed on laser shock-compressed samples of bulk nickel, reaching pressures up to  ~ 500 GPa. Hugoniot states of nickel were targeted using a flat-top laser drive, with in situ X-ray diffraction data collected using the Linac Coherent Light Source. Rietveld methods were used to determine the densities of the shocked states from the measured diffraction data, while peak pressures were determined using a combination of measured particle velocities, shock transit times, hydrodynamic simulations, and laser intensity calibrations. We observed solid compressed face-centered cubic (fcc) Ni up to at least 332 ± 30 GPa along the Hugoniot-significantly higher than expected from the majority of melt lines that have been proposed for nickel. We also bracket the partial melting onset to between 377 ± 38 GPa and 486 ± 35 GPa.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-59385-y

  View details for PubMedID 40355474

  View details for PubMedCentralID 8570206

• Isostructural Phase Transition of Fe_{2}O_{3} under Laser Shock Compression. Physical review letters Amouretti, A., Crépisson, C., Azadi, S., Brisset, F., Cabaret, D., Campbell, T., Chin, D. A., Collins, G. W., Hansen, L., Fiquet, G., Forte, A., Gawne, T., Guyot, F., Heighway, P., Heriprë, E., Cunningham, E., Lee, H. J., McGonegle, D., Nagler, B., Pintor, J., Polsin, D. N., Rousse, G., Shi, Y., Smith, E., Wark, J. S., Vinko, S. M., Harmand, M. 2025; 134 (17): 176102

  Abstract

  We present in situ x-ray diffraction and velocity measurements of Fe_{2}O_{3} under laser shock compression at pressures between 38-122 GPa. None of the high-pressure phases reported by static compression studies were observed. Instead, we observed an isostructural phase transition from α-Fe_{2}O_{3} to a new α^{'}-Fe_{2}O_{3} phase at a pressure of 50-62 GPa. The α^{'}-Fe_{2}O_{3} phase differs from α-Fe_{2}O_{3} by an 11% volume drop and a different unit cell compressibility. We further observed a two-wave structure in the velocity profile, which can be related to an intermediate regime where both α and α^{'} phases coexist. Density functional theory calculations with a Hubbard parameter indicate that the observed unit cell volume drop can be associated with a spin transition following a magnetic collapse.

  View details for DOI 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.176102

  View details for PubMedID 40408710

• X-ray microscopy and talbot imaging with the matter in extreme conditions X-ray imager at LCLS. Scientific reports Galtier, E., Lee, H. J., Khaghani, D., Boiadjieva, N., McGehee, P., Arnott, A., Arnold, B., Berboucha, M., Cunningham, E., Czapla, N., Dyer, G., Ettelbrick, R., Hart, P., Heimann, P., Welch, M., Makita, M., Gleason, A. E., Pandolfi, S., Sakdinawat, A., Liu, Y., Wojcik, M. J., Hodge, D., Sandberg, R., Valdivia, M. P., Bouffetier, V., Pérez-Callejo, G., Seiboth, F., Nagler, B. 2025; 15 (1): 7588

  Abstract

  The last decade has shown the great potential that X-ray Free Electron Lasers (FEL) have to study High Energy Density (HED) physics. Experiments at FELs have made significant breakthroughs in Shock Physics and Dynamic Diffraction, Dense Plasma Physics and Warm Dense Matter Science, using techniques such as isochoric heating, inelastic scattering, small angle scattering and X-ray diffraction. In addition, and complementary to these techniques, the coherent properties of the FEL beam can be used to image HED samples with high fidelity. We present new imaging diagnostics and techniques developed at the Matter in Extreme Conditions (MEC) instrument at Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) over the last few years. We show results in Phase Contrast Imaging geometry, where the X-ray beam propagates from the target to a camera revealing its phase, as well as in Direct Imaging geometry, where a real image of the sample plane is produced in the camera with a spatial resolution down to 200 nm. Last, we show an implementation of the Talbot Imaging method allowing both X-ray phase and intensity measurements change introduced by a target with sub-micron resolution.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41598-025-91989-8

  View details for PubMedID 40038475

  View details for PubMedCentralID 4416670

• Combined speckle- and propagation-based single shot two-dimensional phase retrieval method OPTICS EXPRESS Leong, A., Hodge, D. A., Kelinkurzer-ogul, K., Marchesini, S., Pandolfi, S., Liu, Y., Barber, J., Li, K., Sakdinawat, A., Galtier, E., Nagler, B., Lee, H., Cunningham, E., Carver, T., Aluie, H., Shang, J., Bolme, C., Ramos, K., Khaghani, D., Sandberg, R., Montgomery, D., Kozlowski, P. A., Gleason, A. 2024; 32 (26): 46939-46957

  View details for DOI 10.1364/OE.531269

  View details for Web of Science ID 001391563500003

• Structural evolution of liquid silicates under conditions in Super-Earth interiors. Nature communications Morard, G., Hernandez, J. A., Pege, C., Nagy, C., Libon, L., Lacquement, A., Sokaras, D., Lee, H. J., Galtier, E., Heimann, P., Cunningham, E., Glenzer, S. H., Vinci, T., Prescher, C., Boccato, S., Chantel, J., Merkel, S., Zhang, Y., Yang, H., Wei, X., Pandolfi, S., Mao, W. L., Gleason, A. E., Shim, S. H., Alonso-Mori, R., Ravasio, A. 2024; 15 (1): 8483

  Abstract

  Molten silicates at depth are crucial for planetary evolution, yet their local structure and physical properties under extreme conditions remain elusive due to experimental challenges. In this study, we utilize in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) at the Matter in Extreme Conditions (MEC) end-station of the Linear Coherent Linac Source (LCLS) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory to investigate liquid silicates. Using an ultrabright X-ray source and a high-power optical laser, we probed the local atomic arrangement of shock-compressed liquid (Mg,Fe)SiO3 with varying Fe content, at pressures from 81(9) to 385(40) GPa. We compared these findings to ab initio molecular dynamics simulations under similar conditions. Results indicate continuous densification of the O-O and Mg-Si networks beyond Earth's interior pressure range, potentially altering melt properties at extreme conditions. This could have significant implications for early planetary evolution, leading to notable differences in differentiation processes between smaller rocky planets, such as Earth and Venus, and super-Earths, which are exoplanets with masses nearly three times that of Earth.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-51796-7

  View details for PubMedID 39362851

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC11452200

• Release dynamics of nanodiamonds created by laser-driven shock-compression of polyethylene terephthalate. Scientific reports Heuser, B., Bergermann, A., Stevenson, M. G., Ranjan, D., He, Z., Lütgert, J., Schumacher, S., Bethkenhagen, M., Descamps, A., Galtier, E., Gleason, A. E., Khaghani, D., Glenn, G. D., Cunningham, E. F., Glenzer, S. H., Hartley, N. J., Hernandez, J. A., Humphries, O. S., Katagiri, K., Lee, H. J., McBride, E. E., Miyanishi, K., Nagler, B., Ofori-Okai, B., Ozaki, N., Pandolfi, S., Qu, C., May, P. T., Redmer, R., Schoenwaelder, C., Sueda, K., Yabuuchi, T., Yabashi, M., Lukic, B., Rack, A., Zinta, L. M., Vinci, T., Benuzzi-Mounaix, A., Ravasio, A., Kraus, D. 2024; 14 (1): 12239

  Abstract

  Laser-driven dynamic compression experiments of plastic materials have found surprisingly fast formation of nanodiamonds (ND) via X-ray probing. This mechanism is relevant for planetary models, but could also open efficient synthesis routes for tailored NDs. We investigate the release mechanics of compressed NDs by molecular dynamics simulation of the isotropic expansion of finite size diamond from different P-T states. Analysing the structural integrity along different release paths via molecular dynamic simulations, we found substantial disintegration rates upon shock release, increasing with the on-Hugnoiot shock temperature. We also find that recrystallization can occur after the expansion and hence during the release, depending on subsequent cooling mechanisms. Our study suggests higher ND recovery rates from off-Hugoniot states, e.g., via double-shocks, due to faster cooling. Laser-driven shock compression experiments of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) samples with in situ X-ray probing at the simulated conditions found diamond signal that persists up to 11 ns after breakout. In the diffraction pattern, we observed peak shifts, which we attribute to thermal expansion of the NDs and thus a total release of pressure, which indicates the stability of the released NDs.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41598-024-62367-7

  View details for PubMedID 38806565

  View details for PubMedCentralID 7275726

• Radiation and heat transport in divergent shock-bubble interactions PHYSICS OF PLASMAS Kurzer-Ogul, K., Haines, B. M., Montgomery, D. S., Pandolfi, S., Sauppe, J. P., Leong, A. T., Hodge, D., Kozlowski, P. M., Marchesini, S., Cunningham, E., Galtier, E., Khaghani, D., Lee, H. J., Nagler, B., Sandberg, R. L., Gleason, A. E., Aluie, H., Shang, J. K. 2024; 31 (3)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0185056

  View details for Web of Science ID 001180225000006

• Evidence for phonon hardening in laser-excited gold using x-ray diffraction at a hard x-ray free electron laser. Science advances Descamps, A., Ofori-Okai, B. K., Bistoni, O., Chen, Z., Cunningham, E., Fletcher, L. B., Hartley, N. J., Hastings, J. B., Khaghani, D., Mo, M., Nagler, B., Recoules, V., Redmer, R., Schörner, M., Senesky, D. G., Sun, P., Tsai, H. E., White, T. G., Glenzer, S. H., McBride, E. E. 2024; 10 (6): eadh5272

  Abstract

  Studies of laser-heated materials on femtosecond timescales have shown that the interatomic potential can be perturbed at sufficiently high laser intensities. For gold, it has been postulated to undergo a strong stiffening leading to an increase of the phonon energies, known as phonon hardening. Despite efforts to investigate this behavior, only measurements at low absorbed energy density have been performed, for which the interpretation of the experimental data remains ambiguous. By using in situ single-shot x-ray diffraction at a hard x-ray free-electron laser, the evolution of diffraction line intensities of laser-excited Au to a higher energy density provides evidence for phonon hardening.

  View details for DOI 10.1126/sciadv.adh5272

  View details for PubMedID 38335288

• Behavior of soda-lime silicate glass under laser-driven shock compression up to 315 GPa JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS Madhavi, M., Jangid, R., Christiansen-Salameh, J., Cheng, Y., Rao, P., Li, J., Botu, S., Jeppson, S., Mehta, J., Smith, S., Isobe, J. T., Hok, S., Saha, R., Cunningham, E., Heimann, P., Khaghani, D., Lee, H., Spaulding, D. K., Polsin, D. N., Gleason, A. E., Kukreja, R. 2023; 133 (17)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0132114

  View details for Web of Science ID 000981237300012

• Multi-frame, ultrafast, x-ray microscope for imaging shockwave dynamics. Optics express Hodge, D. S., Leong, A. F., Pandolfi, S., Kurzer-Ogul, K., Montgomery, D. S., Aluie, H., Bolme, C., Carver, T., Cunningham, E., Curry, C. B., Dayton, M., Decker, F., Galtier, E., Hart, P., Khaghani, D., Ja Lee, H., Li, K., Liu, Y., Ramos, K., Shang, J., Vetter, S., Nagler, B., Sandberg, R. L., Gleason, A. E. 2022; 30 (21): 38405-38422

  Abstract

  Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) holds increasing promise as a potential source of abundant, clean energy, but has been impeded by defects such as micro-voids in the ablator layer of the fuel capsules. It is critical to understand how these micro-voids interact with the laser-driven shock waves that compress the fuel pellet. At the Matter in Extreme Conditions (MEC) instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), we utilized an x-ray pulse train with ns separation, an x-ray microscope, and an ultrafast x-ray imaging (UXI) detector to image shock wave interactions with micro-voids. To minimize the high- and low-frequency variations of the captured images, we incorporated principal component analysis (PCA) and image alignment for flat-field correction. After applying these techniques we generated phase and attenuation maps from a 2D hydrodynamic radiation code (xRAGE), which were used to simulate XPCI images that we qualitatively compare with experimental images, providing a one-to-one comparison for benchmarking material performance. Moreover, we implement a transport-of-intensity (TIE) based method to obtain the average projected mass density (areal density) of our experimental images, yielding insight into how defect-bearing ablator materials alter microstructural feature evolution, material compression, and shock wave propagation on ICF-relevant time scales.

  View details for DOI 10.1364/OE.472275

  View details for PubMedID 36258406

• Novel fabrication tools for dynamic compression targets with engineered voids using photolithography methods REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS Pandolfi, S., Carver, T., Hodge, D., Leong, A. F. T., Kurzer-Ogul, K., Hart, P., Galtier, E., Khaghani, D., Cunningham, E., Nagler, B., Lee, H., Bolme, C., Ramos, K., Li, K., Liu, Y., Sakdinawat, A., Marchesini, S., Kozlowski, P. M., Curry, C. B., Decker, F., Vetter, S., Shang, J., Aluie, H., Dayton, M., Montgomery, D. S., Sandberg, R. L., Gleason, A. E. 2022; 93 (10)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0107542

  View details for Web of Science ID 000869134800001

• Development of slurry targets for high repetition-rate x-ray free electron laser experiments JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS Smith, R. F., Rastogi, V., Lazicki, A. E., Gorman, M. G., Briggs, R., Coleman, A. L., Davis, C., Singh, S., McGonegle, D., Clarke, S. M., Volz, T., Hutchinson, T., McGuire, C., Fratanduono, D. E., Swift, D. C., Folsom, E., Bolme, C. A., Gleason, A. E., Coppari, F., Ja Lee, H., Nagler, B., Cunningham, E., Heimann, P., Kraus, R. G., Rudd, R. E., Duffy, T. S., Eggert, J. H., Wicks, J. K. 2022; 131 (24)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0095654

  View details for Web of Science ID 000816970300003

• Investigation of hard x-ray emissions from terawatt laser-irradiated foils at the Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument of the Linac Coherent Light Source JOURNAL OF INSTRUMENTATION Fletcher, L. B., Curry, C. B., Gauthier, M., Glenn, G. D., Chen, Z., Cunningham, E., Descamps, A., Frost, M., Galtier, E. C., Heimann, P., Kim, J. B., Mo, M., Ofori-Okai, B. K., Peebles, J., Seiboth, F., Treffert, F., Dyer, G. M., McBride, E. E., Glenzer, S. H. 2022; 17 (4)

  View details for DOI 10.1088/1748-0221/17/04/T04004

  View details for Web of Science ID 000819866900015

• Probing ultrafast laser plasma processes inside solids with resonant small-angle x-ray scattering PHYSICAL REVIEW RESEARCH Gaus, L., Bischoff, L., Bussmann, M., Cunningham, E., Curry, C. B., Juncheng, E., Galtier, E., Gauthier, M., Garcia, A., Garten, M., Glenzer, S., Grenzer, J., Gutt, C., Hartley, N. J., Huang, L., Huebner, U., Kraus, D., Lee, H., McBride, E. E., Metzkes-Ng, J., Nagler, B., Nakatsutsumi, M., Nikl, J., Ota, M., Pelka, A., Prencipe, I., Randolph, L., Roedel, M., Sakawa, Y., Schlenvoigt, H., Smid, M., Treffert, F., Voigt, K., Zeil, K., Cowan, T. E., Schramm, U., Kluge, T. 2021; 3 (4)

  View details for DOI 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.3.043194

  View details for Web of Science ID 000735399600001

• Measuring the structure and equation of state of polyethylene terephthalate at megabar pressures SCIENTIFIC REPORTS Luetgert, J., Vorberger, J., Hartley, N. J., Voigt, K., Roedel, M., Schuster, A. K., Benuzzi-Mounaix, A., Brown, S., Cowan, T. E., Cunningham, E., Doeppner, T., Falcone, R. W., Fletcher, L. B., Galtier, E., Glenzer, S. H., Laso Garcia, A., Gericke, D. O., Heimann, P. A., Lee, H. J., McBride, E. E., Pelka, A., Prencipe, I., Saunders, A. M., Schoelmerich, M., Schoerner, M., Sun, P., Vinci, T., Ravasio, A., Kraus, D. 2021; 11 (1): 12883

  Abstract

  We present structure and equation of state (EOS) measurements of biaxially orientated polyethylene terephthalate (PET, [Formula: see text], also called mylar) shock-compressed to ([Formula: see text]) GPa and ([Formula: see text]) K using in situ X-ray diffraction, Doppler velocimetry, and optical pyrometry. Comparing to density functional theory molecular dynamics (DFT-MD) simulations, we find a highly correlated liquid at conditions differing from predictions by some equations of state tables, which underlines the influence of complex chemical interactions in this regime. EOS calculations from ab initio DFT-MD simulations and shock Hugoniot measurements of density, pressure and temperature confirm the discrepancy to these tables and present an experimentally benchmarked correction to the description of PET as an exemplary material to represent the mixture of light elements at planetary interior conditions.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41598-021-91769-0

  View details for Web of Science ID 000665062100004

  View details for PubMedID 34145307

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC8213800

• 2D monochromatic x-ray imaging for beam monitoring of an x-ray free electron laser and a high-power femtosecond laser REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS Sawada, H., Trzaska, J., Curry, C. B., Gauthier, M., Fletcher, L. B., Jiang, S., Lee, H. J., Galtier, E. C., Cunningham, E., Dyer, G., Daykin, T. S., Chen, L., Salinas, C., Glenn, G. D., Frost, M., Glenzer, S. H., Ping, Y., Kemp, A. J., Sentoku, Y. 2021; 92 (1): 013510

  Abstract

  In pump-probe experiments with an X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) and a high-power optical laser, spatial overlap of the two beams must be ensured to probe a pumped area with the x-ray beam. A beam monitoring diagnostic is particularly important in short-pulse laser experiments where a tightly focused beam is required to achieve a relativistic laser intensity for generation of energetic particles. Here, we report the demonstration of on-shot beam pointing measurements of an XFEL and a terawatt class femtosecond laser using 2D monochromatic Kα imaging at the Matter in Extreme Conditions end-station of the Linac Coherent Light Source. A thin solid titanium foil was irradiated by a 25-TW laser for fast electron isochoric heating, while a 7.0 keV XFEL beam was used to probe the laser-heated region. Using a spherical crystal imager (SCI), the beam overlap was examined by measuring 4.51 keV Kα x rays produced by laser-accelerated fast electrons and the x-ray beam. Measurements were made for XFEL-only at various focus lens positions, laser-only, and two-beam shots. Successful beam overlapping was observed on ∼58% of all two-beam shots for 10 μm thick samples. It is found that large spatial offsets of laser-induced Kα spots are attributed to imprecise target positioning rather than shot-to-shot laser pointing variations. By applying the Kα measurements to x-ray Thomson scattering measurements, we found an optimum x-ray beam spot size that maximizes scattering signals. Monochromatic x-ray imaging with the SCI could be used as an on-shot beam pointing monitor for XFEL-laser or multiple short-pulse laser experiments.

  View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0014329

  View details for Web of Science ID 000630907400004

  View details for PubMedID 33514225

• Femtosecond X-Ray Diffraction of Laser-Shocked Forsterite (Mg2SiO4) to 122 GPa JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH Kim, D., Tracy, S. J., Smith, R. F., Gleason, A. E., Bolme, C. A., Prakapenka, V. B., Appel, K., Speziale, S., Wicks, J. K., Berryman, E. J., Han, S. K., Schoelmerich, M. O., Lee, H., Nagler, B., Cunningham, E. F., Akin, M. C., Asimow, P. D., Eggert, J. H., Duffy, T. S. 2021; 126 (1)

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2020JB020337

  View details for Web of Science ID 000617378900022

• Development of a Platform at the Matter in Extreme Conditions End Station for Characterization of Matter Heated by Intense Laser-Accelerated Protons IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE Bhutwala, K., Bailly-Grandvaux, M., Kim, J., Dozieres, M., Galtier, E., Curry, C. B., Gauthier, M., Cunningham, E., Lee, H., Forestier-Colleoni, P., Higginson, A., Aybar, N., Hua, R., Edghill, B. C., Strehlow, J., Dyer, G. M., Glenzer, S. H., Kim, J. B., Alexander, N., Del Rio, E., Wei, M., Ping, Y., McKelvey, A., Collins, G. W., Beg, F. N., McGuffey, C. 2020; 48 (8): 2751-2758

  View details for DOI 10.1109/TPS.2020.3009639

  View details for Web of Science ID 000575214700007

• Evidence of shock-compressed stishovite above 300GPa SCIENTIFIC REPORTS Schoelmerich, M. O., Tschentscher, T., Bhat, S., Bolme, C. A., Cunningham, E., Farla, R., Galtier, E., Gleason, A. E., Harmand, M., Inubushi, Y., Katagiri, K., Miyanishi, K., Nagler, B., Ozaki, N., Preston, T. R., Redmer, R., Smith, R. F., Tobase, T., Togashi, T., Tracy, S. J., Umeda, Y., Wollenweber, L., Yabuuchi, T., Zastrau, U., Appel, K. 2020; 10 (1): 10197

  Abstract

  SiO2 is one of the most fundamental constituents in planetary bodies, being an essential building block of major mineral phases in the crust and mantle of terrestrial planets (1-10 ME). Silica at depths greater than 300 km may be present in the form of the rutile-type, high pressure polymorph stishovite (P42/mnm) and its thermodynamic stability is of great interest for understanding the seismic and dynamic structure of planetary interiors. Previous studies on stishovite via static and dynamic (shock) compression techniques are contradictory and the observed differences in the lattice-level response is still not clearly understood. Here, laser-induced shock compression experiments at the LCLS- and SACLA XFEL light-sources elucidate the high-pressure behavior of stishovite on the lattice-level under in situ conditions on the Hugoniot to pressures above 300 GPa. We find stishovite is still (meta-)stable at these conditions, and does not undergo any phase transitions. This contradicts static experiments showing structural transformations to the CaCl2, α-PbO2 and pyrite-type structures. However, rate-limited kinetic hindrance may explain our observations. These results are important to our understanding into the validity of EOS data from nanosecond experiments for geophysical applications.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41598-020-66340-y

  View details for Web of Science ID 000543994900034

  View details for PubMedID 32576908

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC7311448

• Coordination changes in liquid tin under shock compression determined using in situ femtosecond x-ray diffraction APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Briggs, R., Gorman, M. G., Zhang, S., McGonegle, D., Coleman, A. L., Coppari, F., Morales-Silva, M. A., Smith, R. F., Wicks, J. K., Bolme, C. A., Gleason, A. E., Cunningham, E., Lee, H. J., Nagler, B., McMahon, M. I., Eggert, J. H., Fratanduono, D. E. 2019; 115 (26)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/1.5127291

  View details for Web of Science ID 000505613600037

• Pulse contrast enhancement via non-collinear sum-frequency generation with the signal and idler of an optical parametric amplifier APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Cunningham, E., Galtier, E., Dyer, G., Robinson, J., Fry, A. 2019; 114 (22)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/1.5108911

  View details for Web of Science ID 000470718700037

• Evidence for Crystalline Structure in Dynamically-Compressed Polyethylene up to 200 GPa SCIENTIFIC REPORTS Hartley, N. J., Brown, S., Cowan, T. E., Cunningham, E., Doppner, T., Falcone, R. W., Fletcher, L. B., Frydrych, S., Galtier, E., Gamboa, E. J., Garcia, A., Gericke, D. O., Glenzer, S. H., Granados, E., Heimann, P. A., Lee, H. J., MacDonald, M. J., MacKinnon, A. J., McBride, E. E., Nam, I., Neumayer, P., Pak, A., Pelka, A., Prencipe, I., Ravasio, A., Roedel, M., Rohatsch, K., Saunders, A. M., Schoelmerich, M., Schoerner, M., Schuster, A. K., Sun, P., van Driel, T., Vorberger, J., Kraus, D. 2019; 9: 4196

  Abstract

  We investigated the high-pressure behavior of polyethylene (CH2) by probing dynamically-compressed samples with X-ray diffraction. At pressures up to 200 GPa, comparable to those present inside icy giant planets (Uranus, Neptune), shock-compressed polyethylene retains a polymer crystal structure, from which we infer the presence of significant covalent bonding. The A2/m structure which we observe has previously been seen at significantly lower pressures, and the equation of state measured agrees with our findings. This result appears to contrast with recent data from shock-compressed polystyrene (CH) at higher temperatures, which demonstrated demixing and recrystallization into a diamond lattice, implying the breaking of the original chemical bonds. As such chemical processes have significant implications for the structure and energy transfer within ice giants, our results highlight the need for a deeper understanding of the chemistry of high pressure hydrocarbons, and the importance of better constraining planetary temperature profiles.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41598-019-40782-5

  View details for Web of Science ID 000460922200032

  View details for PubMedID 30862904

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC6414497

• Interferometry of dipole phase in high harmonics from solids NATURE PHOTONICS Lu, J., Cunningham, E. F., You, Y., Reis, D. A., Ghimire, S. 2019; 13 (2): 96-+

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41566-018-0326-x

  View details for Web of Science ID 000456652900013

• Crystal orientation-dependent polarization state of high-order harmonics OPTICS LETTERS You, Y., Lu, J., Cunningham, E. F., Roedel, C., Ghimire, S. 2019; 44 (3): 530–33

  Abstract

  We analyze the crystal orientation-dependent polarization state of extreme ultraviolet high-order harmonics from bulk magnesium oxide crystals subjected to intense linearly polarized laser fields. We find that only along high-symmetry directions do high-order harmonics follow the polarization direction of the laser field. In general, there are strong deviations that depend on harmonic order, strength of the laser field, and crystal orientation. We use a real-space electron trajectory picture to understand the origin of polarization deviations. These results have implications in all-optical probing of electronic band structure in momentum space and valence charge distributions in real space, and in producing attosecond pulses with time-dependent polarization in compact setups.

  View details for DOI 10.1364/OL.44.000530

  View details for Web of Science ID 000457292400017

  View details for PubMedID 30702671

• Probing periodic potential of crystals via strong-field re-scattering JOURNAL OF PHYSICS B-ATOMIC MOLECULAR AND OPTICAL PHYSICS You, Y., Cunningham, E., Reis, D. A., Ghimire, S. 2018; 51 (11)

  View details for DOI 10.1088/1361-6455/aac11d

  View details for Web of Science ID 000432358000001

• High-pressure chemistry of hydrocarbons relevant to planetary interiors and inertial confinement fusion Kraus, D., Hartley, N. J., Frydrych, S., Schuster, A. K., Rohatsch, K., Roedel, M., Cowan, T. E., Brown, S., Cunningham, E., van Driel, T., Fletcher, L. B., Galtier, E., Gamboa, E. J., Garcia, A., Gericke, D. O., Granados, E., Heimann, P. A., Lee, H. J., MacDonald, M. J., MacKinnon, A. J., McBride, E. E., Nam, I., Neumayer, P., Pak, A., Pelka, A., Prencipe, I., Ravasio, A., Redmer, R., Saunders, A. M., Schoelmerich, M., Schoerner, M., Sun, P., Turner, S. J., Zettl, A., Falcone, R. W., Glenzer, S. H., Doppner, T., Vorberger, J. AMER INST PHYSICS. 2018

  View details for DOI 10.1063/1.5017908

  View details for Web of Science ID 000433961800149

• Attosecond light sources in the water window JOURNAL OF OPTICS Ren, X., Li, J., Yin, Y., Zhao, K., Chew, A., Wang, Y., Hu, S., Cheng, Y., Cunningham, E., Wu, Y., Chini, M., Chang, Z. 2018; 20 (2)

  View details for DOI 10.1088/2040-8986/aaa394

  View details for Web of Science ID 000422905100001

• Polarimetry of High Harmonics in Bulk Crystals You, Y., Cunningham, E., Rodel, C., Reis, D. A., Ghimire, S., IEEE IEEE. 2018

  View details for Web of Science ID 000526031000241

• Phase-coherence of high-order harmonics from bulk crystals using homodyne detection Cunningham, E., You, Y., Reis, D. A., Ghimire, S., IEEE IEEE. 2017

  View details for Web of Science ID 000427296200295

• Erratum: 53-attosecond X-ray pulses reach the carbon K-edge. Nature communications Li, J. n., Ren, X. n., Yin, Y. n., Zhao, K. n., Chew, A. n., Cheng, Y. n., Cunningham, E. n., Wang, Y. n., Hu, S. n., Wu, Y. n., Chini, M. n., Chang, Z. n. 2017; 8 (1): 794

  Abstract

  Nature Communications 8:186 doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00321-0 (2017); Article published online: 4 August 2017.

  View details for PubMedID 28970479

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC5624924

• 53-attosecond X-ray pulses reach the carbon K-edge. Nature communications Li, J. n., Ren, X. n., Yin, Y. n., Zhao, K. n., Chew, A. n., Cheng, Y. n., Cunningham, E. n., Wang, Y. n., Hu, S. n., Wu, Y. n., Chini, M. n., Chang, Z. n. 2017; 8 (1): 186

  Abstract

  The motion of electrons in the microcosm occurs on a time scale set by the atomic unit of time-24 attoseconds. Attosecond pulses at photon energies corresponding to the fundamental absorption edges of matter, which lie in the soft X-ray regime above 200 eV, permit the probing of electronic excitation, chemical state, and atomic structure. Here we demonstrate a soft X-ray pulse duration of 53 as and single pulse streaking reaching the carbon K-absorption edge (284 eV) by utilizing intense two-cycle driving pulses near 1.8-μm center wavelength. Such pulses permit studies of electron dynamics in live biological samples and next-generation electronic materials such as diamond.Isolated attosecond pulses are produced using high harmonic generation and sources of these pulses often suffer from low photon flux in soft X-ray regime. Here the authors demonstrate efficient generation and characterization of 53 as pulses with photon energy near the water window.

  View details for PubMedID 28775272

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC5543167

• Attosecond pulse generation isolated with an asymmetric polarization gating JOURNAL OF MODERN OPTICS Chen, G., Cunningham, E., Chang, Z. 2017; 64 (10-11): 952-959

  View details for DOI 10.1080/09500340.2017.1290833

  View details for Web of Science ID 000400683100002

• Polarization gating of high harmonic generation in the water window APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Li, J., Ren, X., Yin, Y., Cheng, Y., Cunningham, E., Wu, Y., Chang, Z. 2016; 108 (23)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4953402

  View details for Web of Science ID 000378924700002

• High-efficiency optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier in BiB3O6 for generation of 3 mJ, two-cycle, carrier-envelope-phase-stable pulses at 1.7 mu m OPTICS LETTERS Yin, Y., Li, J., Ren, X., Zhao, K., Wu, Y., Cunningham, E., Chang, Z. 2016; 41 (6): 1142-1145

  Abstract

  We produce a 3 mJ, two-cycle (11.4 fs), 1 kHz, carrier-envelope phase (CEP)-stable laser source at 1.7 μm via a three-stage Ti:sapphire-pumped optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier in BiB3O6. We achieve a pump-to-signal conversion efficiency of 18% in the last stage, which is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest yet achieved for near-octave bandwidth amplification. A f-to-2f measurement shows a CEP instability of 165 mrad over 1 h. This is an ideal light source for generating isolated attosecond pulses in the soft x-ray region.

  View details for DOI 10.1364/OL.41.001142

  View details for Web of Science ID 000373042600018

  View details for PubMedID 26977654

• Measured photoemission from electron wave packets in a strong laser field OPTICS LETTERS Ware, M., Cunningham, E., Coburn, C., Peatross, J. 2016; 41 (4): 689-692

  Abstract

  We present calibrated measurements of single-photon Thomson scattering from free electrons driven by a laser with intensity 10¹⁸  W/cm². The measurements demonstrate that individual electrons radiate with the strength of point emitters, even when their wave packets spread to the scale of the driving-laser wavelength. The result agrees with predictions of quantum electrodynamics.

  View details for DOI 10.1364/OL.41.000689

  View details for Web of Science ID 000369942900009

  View details for PubMedID 26872164

• Carrier-envelope phase control of a 10 Hz, 25 TW laser for high-flux extreme ultraviolet quasi-continuum generation APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Cunningham, E., Wu, Y., Chang, Z. 2015; 107 (20)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4936156

  View details for Web of Science ID 000365688700008

• Optical Gating With Asymmetric Field Ratios for Isolated Attosecond Pulse Generation IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS Cunningham, E., Chang, Z. 2015; 21 (5)

  View details for DOI 10.1109/JSTQE.2015.2426655

  View details for Web of Science ID 000357595200001

• Radiation from free electrons in a laser focus at 10(18) W/cm(2): modeling of photon yields and required focal conditions JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS Tarbox, G., Cunningham, E., Sandberg, R., Peatross, J., Ware, M. 2015; 32 (5): 743-750

  View details for DOI 10.1364/JOSAB.32.000743

  View details for Web of Science ID 000353926100016

• Quantum Beats in Attosecond Transient Absorption of Krypton Autoionizing States Cheng, Y., Chini, M., Tong, X., Chew, A., Biedermann, J., Wu, Y., Cunningham, E., Chang, Z., IEEE IEEE. 2015

  View details for Web of Science ID 000370627100317

• Suppression of driving laser in high harmonic generation with a microchannel plate OPTICS LETTERS Zhang, Q., Zhao, K., Li, J., Chini, M., Cheng, Y., Wu, Y., Cunningham, E., Chang, Z. 2014; 39 (12): 3670-3673

  Abstract

  Separating the infrared driving laser from the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses after high-order harmonic generation has been a long-standing difficulty. In this Letter, we propose and demonstrate that the driving laser can be blocked by simply installing a microchannel plate (MCP) into the beam line. In addition to its high damage threshold, the MCP filter also transmits photons over the entire XUV region. This paves the way for attosecond pulse generation with unprecedented bandwidth.

  View details for DOI 10.1364/OL.39.003670

  View details for Web of Science ID 000338870500079

  View details for PubMedID 24978564

• Coherent phase-matched VUV generation by field-controlled bound states NATURE PHOTONICS Chini, M., Wang, X., Cheng, Y., Wang, H., Wu, Y., Cunningham, E., Li, P., Heslar, J., Telnov, D. A., Chu, S., Chang, Z. 2014; 8 (6): 437-441

  View details for DOI 10.1038/nphoton.2014.83

  View details for Web of Science ID 000336972000008

• Carrier-Envelope Phase Stabilization of a 10 Hz, 20 TW Laser for High-Flux Attosecond Pulse Generation Wu, Y., Cunningham, E., Li, J., Chini, M., Chang, Z., IEEE IEEE. 2014

  View details for Web of Science ID 000369908601022

• Coherent VUV Emission from Field-Controlled Bound States Chini, M., Wang, X., Cheng, Y., Wang, H., Wu, Y., Cunningham, E., Peng-Cheng-Li, Heslar, J., Telnov, D. A., Chu, S., Chang, Z., IEEE IEEE. 2014

  View details for Web of Science ID 000369908600250

• Generation of high-flux attosecond extreme ultraviolet continuum with a 10 TW laser APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Wu, Y., Cunningham, E., Zang, H., Li, J., Chini, M., Wang, X., Wang, Y., Zhao, K., Chang, Z. 2013; 102 (20)

  View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4807395

  View details for Web of Science ID 000320619300004

• Generation of High-Flux Attosecond XUV Continuum with a 10 TW Driving Laser Wu, Y., Cunningham, E., Li, J., Zang, H., Chini, M., Wang, X., Wang, Y., Zhao, K., Chang, Z., IEEE IEEE. 2013

  View details for Web of Science ID 000355262504268

• Probing attosecond electron dynamics in atoms Chini, M., Wang, X., Cheng, Y., Wu, Y., Zhao, K., Zhang, Q., Cunningham, E., Wang, Y., Zang, H., Chang, Z., IEEE IEEE. 2012: 622-+

  View details for Web of Science ID 000312865000309