Isolated attosecond pulses (IAPs) are generated via applying amplitude gating on high-order harmonic generation driven by carrier-envelope phase stabilized 5.2 fs pulses with 0.5 mJ pulse energy at 770 nm central wavelength at the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. A continuum ranging from 70 to 100 eV that supports sub-100-attosecond pulse is extracted by Zr foil and Mo/Si multilayer mirror. We demonstrate the characterization of the IAP. The retrieved pulse duration is 86 attoseconds. The developed attosecond laser beamline with repetition rate up to 10 kHz is available for users to conduct attosecond photoelectron spectroscopy researches with a capability of coincidence measurement.

Attosecond soft X-ray pulses are of great importance for the study of ultrafast electronic phenomena. In this paper, a feasible method is proposed to generate isolated fully coherent attosecond soft X-ray free electron laser via optical frequency beating. Two optical lasers with the opposite frequency chirps are used to induce a gradient frequency energy modulation, which helps to generate a gradually varied spacing electron pulse train. Subsequently, the undulator sections with electron beam delay lines are used to amplify the target ultra-short radiation. Numerical start-to-end simulations have been performed and the results demonstrate that an isolated soft X-ray pulse with the peak power of 330 GW and pulse duration of 620 as can be achieved by the proposed technique.