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Title: Few-femtosecond time resolution in optically pumped hard X-ray scattering at a free-electron laser

Journal Article · · Optica
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  1. Stanford University, CA (United States)
  2. University of California, Davis, CA (United States)
  3. University of California, Davis, CA (United States); Stanford University, CA (United States)
  4. Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)
  5. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
  6. Heriot-Watt University, Edinburg (United Kingdom)
  7. University of Oxford (United Kingdom)
  8. Brown University, Providence, RI (United States)
  9. University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)
  10. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States)
  11. Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

Capturing chemical dynamics in real time is a central goal of ultrafast science, necessitating measurements fast enough to track atomic motion on few-femtosecond timescales with high precision. We present time-resolved hard X-ray scattering that meets these criteria by combining 7 fs full-width at half maximum (FWHM) near-infrared laser pulses with sub10 fs FWHM hard X-ray pulses from a free-electron laser. Using heavy water’s electronic response to strong-field ionization as a benchmark, we achieve a sub-8 fs FWHM instrument response function. These optical pump X-ray probe measurements enable direct observation of chemical dynamics with angstrom spatial and few-fs temporal resolution.

Research Organization:
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC); University of California, Davis, CA (United States); University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council; Leverhulme Trust; National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-76SF00515; SC0014664; SC0017995; SC0020276; SC0026078; SC0026316
OSTI ID:
3363321
Journal Information:
Optica, Journal Name: Optica Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 13; ISSN 2334-2536
Publisher:
Optica Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Figures / Tables (8)


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