Time-resolved molecular dynamics using XUV ionization of aligned molecules

新的超短XUV/X射线光源，如高次谐波发生器和最近投入使用的几种XUV/X射线自由电子激光器，在化学科学中提供了独特的新机会，无论是在可以实现的脉冲持续时间的基础上（这使得能够在其自然的阿秒时间尺度上研究电子动力学），并且基于使用XUV/X射线光所固有的高光子能量，这允许开发基于衍射而不是吸收特性的新光谱。在这方面，建议柏林（德国）马克斯波恩研究所和塞格德大学（匈牙利）开展一个联合研究项目，目标是1.通过双色高次谐波产生（HHG）产生强、超短、高光子能量（100 - 500 eV）激光脉冲，以及2.利用光电离电子的衍射，将这些脉冲用于中小尺寸分子结构变化的时间分辨研究该项目汇集了MBI在使用激光对准分子的XUV电离进行分子成像方面的互补专业知识，以及赛格德在（双色）高次谐波产生方面的专业知识。在该项目中，塞格德团队的理论成果将在MBI的实验基础设施上进行测试和转移。这将在联合实验工作的框架内完成，在此过程中，分子排列和成像方面的专业知识将转移到赛格德。该项目应导致开发一种制作化学转化“分子电影”的原创方法。

New ultrashort, XUV/X‐ray light sources, such as high‐harmonic generation and several recently commissioned XUV/X‐ray free electron lasers, offer unique new opportunities in the chemical sciences, both on the basis of the pulse durations that can be achieved (which enable studies of electron dynamics on its natural, attosecond, timescale), and on the basis of the high photon energy that is intrinsic to the use of XUV/X‐ray light, which allows to develop new spectroscopies that are based on diffractive, rather than, absorptive properties. In this context, a joint research project between the Max Born Institute in Berlin (Germany) and the University of Szeged (Hungary) is proposed, targeting1. the generation of intense, ultrashort, high photon energy (100‐500 eV) laser pulses by means of twocolor high‐harmonic generation (HHG), and2. the use of these pulses in time‐resolved studies of structural changes in small to medium‐size molecules, making use of the diffraction of photo‐ionized electronsThe project brings together complementary expertise of MBI on molecular imaging using XUV ionization of laser‐aligned molecules, and expertise on (two‐color) high‐harmonic generation by Szeged. Within the project, the outcome of theoretical efforts by the Szeged team will be tested on and transferred to the available experimental infrastructure at MBI. This will be done in the framework of joint experimental work, in the course of which expertise on molecular alignment and imaging will be transferred to Szeged.The project should lead to the development of an original method for making “molecular movies” of chemical transformations.