Ultrafast x-rays

Ultrafast x-rays or ultrashort X-ray pulses are femtosecond x-ray pulses with wavelengths occurring at interatomic distances. This beam uses the X-ray's inherent abilities to interact at the level of atomic nuclei and core electrons. This ability combined with the shorter pulses at 30 femtosecond could capture the change in position of atoms, or molecules during phase transitions, chemical reactions, and other transient processes in physics, chemistry, and biology.^[1][2]

Fundamental transitions and processes

Ultrafast X-ray diffraction (time-resolved X-ray diffraction) can surpass ultrashortpulse visible techniques, which are limited to detecting structures on the level of valence and free electrons. Ultrashortpulse x-ray techniques are able to resolve atomic scales, where dynamic structural changes and reactions occur in the interior of a material.^[3][4][5]

See also

• Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy

• Stanford PULSE Institute for ultrafast x-ray science

References

1. Yarris, Lynn (August 27, 1993). "LBL Beam Test Facility to Yield Ultrafast X-Rays". Ultrafast X-ray diffraction. Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
2. Corlett, John (August 6, 2010). "Overview of X-Ray FEL R&D at LBNL" (PDF slide presentation). Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. pp. 3, 4, 5. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
3. Siders, C. W.; Cavalleri, A; Sokolowski-Tinten, K; Tóth, C; Guo, T; Kammler, M; Horn Von Hoegen, M; Wilson, KR; et al. (1999). "Detection of Nonthermal Melting by Ultrafast X-ray Diffraction" (PDF). Science 286 (5443): 1340–1342. doi:10.1126/science.286.5443.1340. PMID 10558985. Free PDF download.
4. Rose-Petruck, Christoph; Jimenez, Ralph; Guo, Ting; Cavalleri, Andrea; Siders, Craig W.; Rksi, Ferenc; Squier, Jeff A.; Walker, Barry C.; et al. (March 25, 1999). "Picosecond–milliångström lattice dynamics measured by ultrafast X-ray diffraction" (PDF). Nature 398 (6725): 310–312. Bibcode:1999Natur.398..310R. doi:10.1038/18631. Free PDF download.
5. Zamponi, F.; Ansari, Z.; Woerner, M.; Elsaesser, T. (2010). "Femtosecond powder diffraction with a laser-driven hard X-ray source" (PDF). Optics Express 18 (2): 947–61. Bibcode:2010OExpr..18..947Z. doi:10.1364/OE.18.000947. PMID 20173917. Free PDF download.

Further reading

• Emma P., et al. (2010) "First lasing and operation of an angstrom-wavelength free-electron laser" Nature Photonics 4(9):641-647.
• Philip H. Bucksbaum; Ryan Coffee; Nora Berrah (2011). E. Arimondo; P.R. Berman; C.C. Lin, eds. "The First Atomic and Molecular Experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source X-Ray Free Electron Laser". Advances In Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics 60. Academic Press: 239–289. Bibcode:2011AAMOP..60..239B. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-385508-4.00005-X.
• Diagram of the table-top ultrafast X-ray diffractometer

Rose-Petruck, Christoph; et al. (March 25, 1999). "Figure 1". Nature 398 (6725). Bibcode:1999Natur.398..310R. doi:10.1038/18631.

• Figures and Tables. Nature Publishing Group. March 25, 1999.

External links

• Photon Science: X-Rays for Discovery
• Ultrafast X-ray Summer Schools