Individual atoms under the X-ray magnifying glass

For a long time, so-called nonlinear optics, in which at least two photons interact simultaneously with matter - e.g., an atom - could only be used efficiently with relatively long-wavelength light. The possibility to perform such studies with X-ray light, i.e. extremely short-wavelength light, only came about with X-ray lasers (XFELs). In the published study, researchers have for the first time been able to use the collision effect of multiple X-ray photons on individual atoms to create a hitherto unique 'filter' through which an unrivaled clear picture of nonlinear processes can be taken with X-rays.

With an experimental setup at the European XFEL - the world's largest X-ray laser near Hamburg - a team led by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Eichmann of Berlin's Max Born Institute has succeeded in finding a solution to this problem: They use so-called "photon recoil imaging" for this purpose, i.e. the photon recoil-based imaging described above. The use of such stimulated Raman processes, as they are called in physics, makes completely new experiments conceivable, e.g. on molecules, also especially in the time-resolved range. This could also be of future interest for the SFB 1319 in Kassel, as it deals, among other things, with ultrafast dynamics in chiral molecules, the building blocks of life.

Contact

Dr. Markus Ilchen

University of Kassel
Institute of Physics,
Experimental Physics IV
Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40,
34132 Kassel
Germany
Email: ilchen[at]physik.uni-kassel[dot]de