Back to Search Start Over

Non-linear enhancement of ultrafast X-ray diffraction through transient resonances

Non-linear enhancement of ultrafast X-ray diffraction through transient resonances

Authors :
Stephan Kuschel
Phay J. Ho
Andre Al Haddad
Felix F. Zimmermann
Leonie Flueckiger
Matthew R. Ware
Joseph Duris
James P. MacArthur
Alberto Lutman
Ming-Fu Lin
Xiang Li
Kazutaka Nakahara
Jeff W. Aldrich
Peter Walter
Linda Young
Christoph Bostedt
Agostino Marinelli
Tais Gorkhover
Source :
Nature Communications, Vol 16, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2025)
Publication Year :
2025
Publisher :
Nature Portfolio, 2025.

Abstract

Abstract Diffraction-before-destruction imaging with ultrashort X-ray pulses can visualize non-equilibrium processes, such as chemical reactions, with sub-femtosecond precision in the native environment. Here, a nanospecimen diffracts a single X-ray flash before it disintegrates. The sample structure can be reconstructed from the coherent diffraction image (CDI). State-of-the-art X-ray snapshots lack high spatial resolution because of weak diffraction signal. Bleaching effects from photo-ionization significantly restrain image brightness scaling. We find that non-linear transient ion resonances can overcome this barrier if X-ray laser pulses are shorter than in most experiments. We compared snapshots from individual ≈ 100 nm Xe nanoparticles as a function of pulse duration and incoming X-ray fluence. Our experimental results and Monte Carlo simulations suggest that transient resonances can increase ionic scattering cross sections significantly beyond literature values. This provides a novel avenue towards substantial improvement of the spatial resolution in CDI in combination with sub-femtosecond temporal precision at the nanoscale.

Subjects

Subjects :
Science

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20411723
Volume :
16
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Nature Communications
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.687bf01bad914397a26d68098d21af4d
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56046-y