Citius and LDM@FERMI: VUV Light Sources for Ultrafast Spectroscopy on Atoms and Molecules

Spectroscopic investigations on the electronic structure of matter profit from continuous advances in laser and synchrotron radiation instrumentation. At the Elettra synchrotron radiation laboratory (Trieste, I) two novel facilities for atomic, molecular and cluster studies with ultrafast VUV photon pulses are currently under commissioning in the framework of the FERMI@Elettra Free Electron Laser (FEL) project: the Low Density Matter beamline at FERMI and CITIUS, a state of the art fs-VUV source, based on laser High Harmonic Generation on rare gases. The Low Density Matter beamline (LDM) has been recently installed at the FERMI FEL [1]. The current status of activity and results of preparatory experiments will be outlined. CITIUS, the Interregional Center of Photonic Technologies for Ultrafast Spectroscopy, is an Italo-Slovenian initiative funded within the FP7 Cross Border Cooperation Program to establish a laboratory for ultrafast spectroscopy and femtochemistry experiments at the Ajdov??ina campus of Nova Gorica University. The CITIUS VUV light source is based on laser HHG in rare gases and it has been assembled at Elettra, where it is also being characterized [2]. After the commissioning phase it will be moved to Nova Gorica University, where a scientific program in the field of femtochemistry will be carried out in close collaboration with the LDM beam line at FERMI. [1] http://www.elettra.trieste.it/lightsources/fermi/fermi-beamlines/ldm/ldmhome-page.html [2] http://www.elettra.trieste.it/lightsources/labs-and-services/citius/citius.html