Spectroscopy – Detective in Science Book of Abstracts - Universität ...

Spectroscopy at the extremes with x-ray lasers: from structural sciences to
fusion physics
Nicusor Timneanu, Jakob Anderasson, Bianca Iwan
Molecular Biophysics, ICM, Uppsala University
X-ray free electron lasers are the latest generation of large facility radiation sources, providing
unprecedented capabilities for studying matter under extreme conditions and dynamics on the
femtosecond timescale. Intense coherent X-ray pulses can be exploited to create and probe
extreme states of matter, and also hold the promise for structural determination of biological
systems. The FLASH free-electron laser in Hamburg made its mark in the past years in the
soft X-ray regime. The LCLS Linac Coherent Light Source in Stanford has recently started
user experiments in the hard X-ray domain.
Any sample investigated with an extremely intense and short X-ray pulse will be ionized and
destroyed extensively. Non-thermal heating and formation of plasma and warm dense matter
have been investigated and ion acceleration has been observed, which could lead to obtaining
nuclear fusion with X-ray lasers. Understanding and controlling the ultrafast radiation damage
provides a new way to overcome the limitations in structural studies of protein
acromolecules. The principle ”diffract-and-destroy” has been proven experimentally and
ultrafast coherent diffractive imaging of particles is now an established research frontier.
We present theoretical models for damage dynamics, based on Molecular Dynamics
simulations and plasma software with non-Local Thermodynamics Equilibrium with
hydrodynamics expansion. We also present flight-time spectroscopy experiments performed
at FLASH and LCLS, which investigate ultrafast dynamics and plasma formation in various
samples: aligned molecules, molecular clusters, bulk solids, protein macromolecules, protein
nanocrystals, viruses and living cells.
Abstract of talk
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