Abstract
We have developed a unique source of femtosecond x-rays operating in the ~300 fs, ~0.5 Å regime, which will allow us to apply x-ray techniques with ultrafast time resolution to directly probe the structural dynamics of materials. The study of atomic motion on the fundamental time scale of a vibrational period, h/kT~100 fs, is important for understanding processes such as chemical reactions, vibrational energy transfer, phase transitions, and surface dynamics. Our understanding of these processes has been limited by lack of appropriate tools for probing the ultrafast motion of atoms. X-ray techniques such as diffraction and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) are powerful probes of atomic structure, and are widely used with synchrotron x-ray sources. However, the time resolution provided by high-brightness synchrotrons is nearly three orders of magnitude too slow to directly observe fundamental atomic motion. Conversely, femtosecond lasers can measure the optical properties of materials on a 10 fs time scale but optical properties are poor indicators of atomic motion. Femtosecond x-ray pulses will allow us to directly probe atomic motion in condensed matter on an ultrafast time scale.
© 1996 Optical Society of America
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