Nonlinear resonant X-ray Raman scattering

We report the observation of a novel nonlinear effect in the hard x-ray range. Upon illuminating Fe and Cu metal foils with intense x-ray pulses tuned near their respective K edges, photons at nearly twice the incoming photon energy are emitted. The signal rises quadratically with the incoming intensity, consistent with two-photon excitation. The spectrum of emitted high-energy photons comprises multiple Raman lines that disperse with the incident photon energy. Upon reaching the double K-shell ionization threshold, the signal strength undergoes a marked rise. Above this threshold, the lines cease dispersing, turning into orescence lines with energies much greater than obtainable by single electron transitions, and additional Raman lines appear. We attribute these processes to electron-correlation mediated multielectron transitions involving double-core hole excitation and various two-electron de-excitation processes to a final state involving one or more L and M core-holes.