A femtosecond X-ray/optical cross-correlator

Summary, in English

For a fundamental understanding of ultrafast dynamics in chemistry, biology and materials science it has been a long-standing dream to record a molecular movie in which both the atomic trajectories and the chemical states of every atom in matter are followed in real time(1). Free- electron lasers provide this perspective as they deliver brilliant femtosecond X-ray pulses spanning a wide photon energy range, which is necessary to gather element- specific and chemical- stateselective information with femtosecond time resolution. The key challenge lies in synchronizing the free- electron lasers with separate optical lasers. We exploit the peak brilliance of the free- electron laser in Hamburg(2,3) ( FLASH) and establish X- raypulseinduced transient changes of the optical reflectivity in GaAs as a powerful tool for X- ray/ optical cross- correlation. This constitutes a breakthrough in the path towards recording a molecular movie and - equally importantly - opens up the field of femtosecond X- ray- induced dynamics, only accessible with high- brilliance X- ray free- electron lasers.

• Author: Cornelius Gahl; Armin Azima; Martin Beye; Martin Deppe; Kristian Doebrich; Urs Hasslinger; Franz Hennies; Alexej Melnikov; Mitsuru Nagasono; Annette Pietzsch; Martin Wolf; Wilfried Wurth; Alexander Foehlisch
• Department/s: MAX IV Laboratory
• Publishing year: 2008
• Language: English
• Pages: 165-169
• Publication/Series: Nature Photonics
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 3
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2007.298
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Topic: Physical Sciences; Natural Sciences
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1749-4885