Researchers Achieve Record Intensity Hard-X-Ray Pulses
A scientific team utilized advanced mirror optics to generate powerful X-ray pulses at the European XFEL in April 2026.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Physics
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In April 2026, researchers successfully generated record-breaking attosecond hard-X-ray pulses at the European XFEL facility. The experiment achieved a peak intensity exceeding 10^20 watts per square centimetre.
Why it matters
This milestone allows scientists to explore highly nonlinear interactions between X-rays and matter, opening new avenues for experimental physics. The findings provide a foundation for future high-intensity research applications.
The study utilized a specialized Kirkpatrick-Baez optical system with two mirrors, achieving a focal spot size of 180 by 330 nanometres. Researchers verified the intensity by observing amplified spontaneous emission within copper foil.
The players
European XFEL
This is a global research facility that generates intense X-ray flashes for scientific investigation.
Optica
This is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes significant research in the field of optics and photonics.
The details
By reflecting an X-ray pulse four times through a precise mirror system, the researchers were able to focus the beam vertically and horizontally. This approach allowed for a pulse duration of 300 attoseconds and a beam area reduced by 100,000 times relative to a human hair.
Timeline
The intensity experiment was conducted in April 2026.
The findings were published in the journal Optica in October 2026.
The European XFEL expects delivery of its own AKB system in early 2027.
The Big Picture
This success at the European XFEL facilities marks a significant advancement in the capability to control and intensify X-ray light at the attosecond scale. It shifts the current research paradigm by demonstrating that extreme nonlinear interaction thresholds can be reached for future experiments.
While these experiments currently occur in specialized laboratory settings, this advancement paves the way for new medical imaging and materials science technologies. Researchers aim to leverage these nonlinear interactions to better understand matter at the atomic level.
The takeaway
This breakthrough provides a new tool for probing the fundamental properties of matter using extreme X-ray intensities. It demonstrates the growing precision of modern optical systems in reaching previously unattainable experimental benchmarks.
What happens next
The European XFEL expects the delivery of its own AKB optical system in early 2027, which will support subsequent high-intensity research.
Further reading
For broader context on current high-energy studies, visit the Physics section.
More information
Review the technical findings in the full original research publication.
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