Abstract

We developed an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) polarimeter, which employs laser-generated high-order harmonics as the light source. This relatively high-flux directional EUV source has available wavelengths between 8 nm and 62 nm and easily rotatable linear polarization. The polarimeter will aid researchers at BYU in characterizing EUV thin films and improving their understanding of materials for use in EUV optics. This first-time workhorse application of laser high harmonics enables polarization-sensitive reflection measurements not previously available in the EUV. We have constructed a versatile positioning system that places harmonics on the microchannel plate detector with an accuracy of 0.3 mm, which allows a spectral resolution of about 180. We have demonstrated that reflectance as low as 0.2% can be measured at EUV wavelengths and that this data is repeatable to within the error of our source stability (~7% fluctuation). We have compared reflectance data with that taken from the same sample at Beamline 6.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source. This data agrees well from 5 degrees to 30 degrees and the angular locations of the interference fringes also agree.

Degree

College and Department

Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy

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