Scientists create record X-ray flashes at European XFEL
Researchers at the European XFEL produced record-breaking X-ray pulses lasting 300 attoseconds in April 2026.
New world record for intensity
Researchers set a new global benchmark by generating exceptionally powerful X-ray pulses lasting only 300 attoseconds. The group focused these bursts onto a spot approximately 100,000 times narrower than the width of an average human hair. The experiment conducted in April 2026 has yielded findings that are now available in the scientific journal Optica.
Specialized mirrors focus beam
The group employed a unique optical setup known as an advanced Kirkpatrick-Baez system to focus the X-rays. This setup features two highly accurate mirrors directing the beam along separate paths. In total, every pulse experienced four reflections, where a single mirror directed the X-rays vertically while another did so horizontally. An astonishingly small focal spot with dimensions of exactly 180 by 330 nanometers emerged as the result.
Potential for studying electrons
The researchers generated an exceptionally powerful beam by compressing a vast amount of X-ray energy within a very small area. Scientists might one day use this advancement to watch fast electron shifts in chemical processes and possibly gain control over them. According to Ichiro Inoue of the University of Tokyo, this marks a world record for intensity and fluence achieved by a hard-X-ray attosecond pulse.
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