Search

A combination of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering and resonant Auger spectroscopy provides complementary information on the dynamic response of resonantly excited molecules. This is exemplified for CH3I, for which we reconstruct the potential energy surface of the dissociative I 3d(-2) double-core-hole state and determine its lifetime. The proposed method holds a strong potential for monitoring the hard x-ray induced electron and nuclear dynamic response of core-excited molecules containing heavy elements, where ab initio calculations of potential energy surfaces and lifetimes remain challenging.

The NUDIX enzymes are involved in cellular metabolism and homeostasis, as well as mRNA processing. Although highly conserved throughout all organisms, their biological roles and biochemical redundancies remain largely unclear. To address this, we globally resolve their individual properties and inter-relationships. We purify 18 of the human NUDIX proteins and screen 52 substrates, providing a substrate redundancy map. Using crystal structures, we generate sequence alignment analyses revealing four major structural classes. To a certain extent, their substrate preference redundancies correlate with structural classes, thus linking structure and activity relationships. To elucidate interdependence among the NUDIX hydrolases, we pairwise deplete them generating an epistatic interaction map, evaluate cell cycle perturbations upon knockdown in normal and cancer cells, and analyse their protein and mRNA expression in normal and cancer tissues. Using a novel FUSION algorithm, we integrate all data creating a comprehensive NUDIX enzyme profile map, which will prove fundamental to understanding their biological functionality., QC 20180503

Photoinduced reformation of chemical bonds is investigated in the CH3Cl molecule experimentally and computationally. The observation of stable HCl+ fragment formation after resonant Cl 2p photoexcitation is confirmed by an electron-ion coincidence experiment, and its possible creation mechanism is reported. We attribute the formation of HCl+ to specific final states populated by the resonant Auger decay. Quantum chemical computations support this attribution and suggest that in at least one of those states the system is placed on a potential energy surface which favors creation of HCl+ by moving one hydrogen atom to a closer proximity of the chlorine atom. This work demonstrates the effect of targeted core-shell excitation on the chemical bond breaking and reformation process, often called photoinduced chemistry., QC 20161019

We present an experimental and theoretical study of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) in the carbon disulphide CS 2 molecule near the sulfur K-absorption edge. We observe a strong evolution of the RIXS spectral profile with the excitation energy tuned below the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) absorption resonance. The reason for this is twofold. Reducing the photon energy in the vicinity of the LUMO absorption resonance leads to a relative suppression of the LUMO contribution with respect to the emission signal from the higher unoccupied molecular orbitals, which results in the modulation of the total RIXS profile. At even larger negative photon-energy detuning from the resonance, the excitation-energy dependence of the RIXS profile is dominated by the onset of electron dynamics triggered by a coherent excitation of multiple electronic states. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that in the hard x-ray regime, localization of the S 1s core hole occurs in CS2 during the RIXS process because of the orientational dephasing of interference between the waves scattering on the two sulfur atoms. Core-hole localization leads to violation of the symmetry selection rules for the electron transitions observed in the spectra., QC 20150918

We present an experimental and theoretical study of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) in the CS2 molecule near the S 1s edge. We show that localization of the S 1s core-hole occurs in CS2 during the RIXS process due to the orientational dephasing of interference between the waves scattering on the two sulfur atoms. Strong evolution of the RIXS profile with the excitation energy far below the first absorption resonance reflects the onset of electron dynamics triggered by a coherent excitation of multiple electronic states., QC 20160114

We summarize recent results dealing with high resolution (resonant) X-ray spectroscopy of atomic and molecular targets in the tender X-ray energy region. We comment on advantages, new possibilities and problems related to RIXS spectroscopy with respect to the standard photoabsorption technique, where scanning the probe energy is the only option. In particular, three research areas are covered: X-ray emission mediated by energy dependent photoabsorption to multi-electron excited states, the Cl K core-hole clock studies exemplified by systematic study of chloro(fluoro)-hydrocarbon targets and the polarization dependent X-ray emission studies. Due to its spectral selectivity and simultaneous detection capability, high resolution wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy has the capability to resolve structural and dynamical properties of matter within new instrumentation frontiers.

Seeded free electron lasers theoretically have the intensity, tunability, and resolution required for multiphoton spectroscopy of atomic and molecular species. Using the seeded free electron laser FERMI and a novel detection scheme, we have revealed the two-photon excitation spectra of dipole-forbidden doubly excited states in helium. The spectral profiles of the lowest (-1,0)^{+1} ^{1}S^{e} and (0,1)^{0} ^{1}D^{e} resonances display energy shifts in the meV range that depend on the pulse intensity. The results are explained by an effective two-level model based on calculated Rabi frequencies and decay rates.

We have investigated a local chemical environment effect on Auger spectra of ethyl trifluoroacetate (C4H5F3O2), using multi-electron coincidence spectroscopy and high-resolution electron spectroscopy. Site-specific KVV Auger spectra for each carbon atom, and for the fluorine and oxygen atoms are presented. The extent of hole localization in the final dicationic states was investigated with the help of theoretical calculations based on a two-hole population analysis. The Auger spectra have been simulated using a statistical approach. It is found that all Auger decays populate mainly localized dicationic states, with the two holes located either on the same fluorine atom or on adjacent fluorine atoms. While the decay of the F 1s hole populates exclusively the former states, the latter class of states is also populated by the decay of the C and O 1s holes.

The electrical resistivity of amorphous Fe100-xZrx metal alloy films and multilayers has been investigated in a wide temperature and composition range. The overall behavior of the resistivity is consistent with bulk measurements, exhibiting prominent semiconductor-like changes at low temperatures. The transition from positive (metallic) to negative temperature coefficient of resistivity behavior is accompanied by minute changes in magnetoresistance and we can therefore rule out magnetic phase changes as being the cause for the observed changes in the resistivity. Using x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopies we are able to probe the unoccupied and occupied electronic densities of states. The corresponding spectra are found to significantly overlap, as expected for a metallic-like electronic structure and the absence of a band gap. Besides a broadening of the x-ray emission lines expected from an amorphous material, remarkably small differences are observed in the electronic structures when changing the amount of Zr. The resistivity data were modeled and agreement with the Mott variable range hopping model was found, indicating localized electronic states due the disordered structure of the Fe100-xZrx alloys.

Doubly excited states below the N = 2 ionization threshold are populated by exciting helium atoms in a supersonic beam with monochromatized synchrotron radiation. The fluorescence decay of these states triggers a radiative cascade back to the ground state with large probability to populate long lived singlet and triplet helium metastable states. The yield of metastables is measured using a multichannel plate detector after the beam has passed a singlet-quenching discharge lamp. The variation of the yield observed with the lamp switched on or off is related to the triplet-singlet mixing of the doubly excited states.

Direct lightning strike to a single-track electrified railway system in Sweden is modeled in this paper. Using this model, the induced voltages in each of the nine conductors at heights varying from 0.5 m (tracks) to 10 m above the ground are estimated. The effect of the finitely conducting ground is included using a time domain expression for the transient ground impedance that has better early time and late time behavior. The main interconnection between the conductors and the flashover strength of the supporting insulators is included in the simulations. A simple model for the arc channel during flashover of the insulators and the ionization of the soil around the pole foundations is also included in the model to assess the possible realistic surge voltage distribution in the system. It is shown in the paper that finite ground conductivity, interconnections between the conductors, arcing phenomena of insulation flashover and grounding of the poles decide the voltage/current distribution in the conductors. Simulations have been also carried out to determine the voltages on the lines and across the rails as function of distance from the point of strike as it could be a necessary data for deciding the possible future protection schemes. It was found that for a lightning stroke of 31 kA peak, large common mode and differential mode surges exist on the lines which could create excessive voltages between the line and neutral of the transformer and might pose a threat to the various low voltage equipments used for telecommunication, signaling and control., QC 20120120

We present experimental observations of the auto-ionization of 3lnl′ doubly-excited states of helium into the 2s2S and 2p2P excited ion final-state channels using time-resolved detection techniques to separate the decay routes. A qualitative comparison