XIII European Conference on the Spectroscopy of ... - ecsbm 2009

Palermo, August 28 – September 2, 2009 13 th ECSBM −−−− Book of Abstracts
Tracking structural changes in solution with 100 ps
time-resolved X-ray scattering
MARCO CAMMARATA
ESRF, Grenoble, France
Reactions are at the core of life and chemistry. The fast time scales usually involved have
prevented direct structural studies up to very recently. In the last years the intrinsicly pulsed
nature of synchrotron sources has been used to allow laser pump / x-ray probe studies with a time
resolution of 100ps.
Examples coming from chemistry and biophysics will be discussed together with the key
ingredients of the experimental technique.
X-ray free electron lasers will allow to push the time resolution even further but wavelength and
position stability, together with other beam characteristics, will be crucial for the success of such
experiments.
References
[1] Cammarata, M. et al., Nature Methods, 5, 881 (2008)
[2] Ihee, H. et al., Science, 309, 1223 (2005)
[3] Cammarata, M et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 80: 015101 (2009)
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