Ultrafast Changes of Molecular Crystal Structure Induced by Dipole Solvation

Journal Article · Fri Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.98.248301· OSTI ID:20953294

Braun, M; Root, C; Schrader, T E; Gilch, P; Zinth, W ^[1]; Korff Schmising, C von; Kiel, M; Zhavoronkov, N; Dreyer, J; Bargheer, M; Elsaesser, T; Woerner, M ^[2]

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1. BioMolekulare Optik and MAP, Department fuer Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, 80538 Munich (Germany)
2. Max-Born-Institut fuer Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

Femtosecond photoexcitation of organic chromophores in a molecular crystal induces strong changes of the electronic dipole moment via intramolecular charge transfer as is evident from transient vibrational spectra. The structural response of the crystal to the dipole change is mapped directly for the first time by ultrafast x-ray diffraction or diffuse scattering. Changes of diffracted and transmitted x-ray intensity demonstrate an angular rearrangement of molecules around excited dipoles following the 10 ps kinetics of charge transfer and leaving lattice plane spacings unchanged. Transient x-ray scattering is governed by solvation, masking changes of the chromophore molecular structure.

• OSTI ID: 20953294
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 98, Issue 24; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.248301; (c) 2007 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIFFUSE SCATTERING
DIPOLE MOMENTS
DIPOLES
MOLECULAR CRYSTALS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
SOLVATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION