Maya Kiskinova, Elettra Synchrotron
FERMI@Elettra is the first VUV-soft X-ray FEL based on the high-gain harmonic generation seeding scheme and also is the first FEL using APPLE-type undulators that provide full polarization control of the radiation. The parameters of the seeded FERMI-FEL pulses and, in particular, the superior control of emitted radiation in terms of spectral purity and stability of seeded FEL pulses, meet the stringent requirements for single-shot and resonant coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) experiments. The talk will report the first CDI results, obtained with fixed non-periodic targets during the commissioning period in 2012, using 20-32 nm wavelength range of FERMI FEL-1. The results demonstrate the present CDI, holography and resonant magnetic CDI performance in integrative and single-shot modes and the advantages of using fully coherent FERMI@Elettra pulses with multiple polarization. The first proof-of-principle resonant CDI experiments with two-color FEL pulses generated by the same electron bunch were very recently performed with specially designed sample consisting of Ti grating. The advantage of using the seed laser for optical pump or probe time resolved experiments was demonstrated with reflectivity measurements in February 2013. Before the end of 2013 FERMI-2 should be fully operative, enabling resonant CDI using shorter wavelengths: the K-edge of carbon in the first harmonic and at the K and L-edges of many other elements in the higher harmonics of the radiation.
