HZB contributions to special edition on Ultrafast Dynamics with X-ray Methods
At the end of his contribution, Phillippe Wernet makes a great arch from the past (Opticae Thesaurus, 1572) of research with light to the future. © Wikimedia cc
In this theme issue leading researchers discuss
recent work on the ultrafast electronic and structural
dynamics of matter using a new generation of short
duration X-ray photon sources. © Royal Society
In the new special issue of the "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London", internationally renowned experts report on new developments in X-ray sources and ultrafast time-resolved experiments. HZB physicists have also been invited to contribute.
Almost 350 years after Isaac Newton's ground-breaking paper "Theory of Light and Colors (1671)", the world's oldest scientific journal “Philosophical Transactions” is now once again dedicated to light. The special issue on “Ultrafast Dynamics with X-ray Methods” is aimed at researchers who want to investigate biological, chemical or physical processes and obtain an overview of new developments in light sources and the methods available there. Dynamic processes in materials can be analyzed with high resolution and short pulses at X-ray light sources using ultrafast methods.
Femtoslicing and BESSY VSR
The special issue provides a comprehensive overview of current advances in the generation of ultra-short X-ray pulses by light sources such as Free Electron Lasers (FELs), High Harmonic Generation (HHG) laser sources and synchrotron radiation sources. An article in collaboration with Dr. Karsten Holldack, HZB, presents FEls and Laser sources but also classifies storage ring based methods such as “Femtoslicing” and BESSY VSR. These methods combine highly brilliant synchrotron light with a special time structure and thus allow to address unique experimental questions that cannot be answered at other sources. This complements and expands the portfolio of accelerator-based sources.
Ultra fast spectroscopy for photochemistry
An important contribution is dedicated to photochemistry, an area that focuses on processes such as photosynthesis, the dynamics of which are still largely unexplored. Using ultra-fast spectroscopy at FELs, HHG sources or at the synchrotron with BESSY VSR, methods are now available to measure in detail, for example, excitations of metallo-proteins and the subsequent reactions ; such experiments provide data that are indispensable, for example, for understanding photocatalysis of solar fuels. This article was written by Prof. Dr. Philippe Wernet, formerly a senior scientist at the HZB, and now a professor at Uppsala University, Sweden.
To the publications:
Measurement of ultrafast electronic and structural dynamics with X-rays; J. P. Marangos (ed.)
doi: 10.1098/rsta/377/2145
Recent Advances in Ultrafast X-ray Sources; Robert Schoenlein, Thomas Elsaesser, Karsten Holldack, Zhirong Huang, Henry Kapteyn, Margaret Murnane, Michael Woerner
doi: 10.1098/rsta.2018.0384
Chemical interactions and dynamics with femtosecond X-ray spectroscopy and the role of X-ray free-electron lasers; Philippe Wernet
doi: 10.1098/rsta.2017.0464
- Alternating currents for alternative computing with magnetsA new study conducted at the University of Vienna, the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, and the Helmholtz Centers in Berlin and Dresden takes an important step in the challenge to miniaturize computing devices and to make them more energy-efficient. The work published in the renowned scientific journal Science Advances opens up new possibilities for creating reprogrammable magnonic circuits by exciting spin waves by alternating currents and redirecting these waves on demand. The experiments were carried out at the Maxymus beamline at BESSY II.
- BESSY II: Heterostructures for SpintronicsSpintronic devices work with spin textures caused by quantum-physical interactions. A Spanish-German collaboration has now studied graphene-cobalt-iridium heterostructures at BESSY II. The results show how two desired quantum-physical effects reinforce each other in these heterostructures. This could lead to new spintronic devices based on these materials.
- Green hydrogen: MXenes shows talent as catalyst for oxygen evolutionThe MXene class of materials has many talents. An international team led by HZB chemist Michelle Browne has now demonstrated that MXenes, properly functionalised, are excellent catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in electrolytic water splitting. They are more stable and efficient than the best metal oxide catalysts currently available. The team is now extensively characterising these MXene catalysts for water splitting at the Berlin X-ray source BESSY II and Soleil Synchrotron in France.