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Few-femtosecond time resolution in optically pumped hard X-ray scattering at a free-electron laser

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Capturing chemical dynamics in real time is a central goal of ultrafast science, necessitating measurements fast enough to track atomic motion on few-femtosecond timescales with high precision. We present time-resolved hard X-ray scattering that meets these criteria by combining 7 fs full-width at half maximum (FWHM) near-infrared laser pulses with sub10 fs FWHM hard X-ray pulses from a free-electron laser. Using heavy water’s electronic response to strong-field ionization as a benchmark, we achieve a sub-8 fs FWHM instrument response function. These optical pump X-ray probe measurements enable direct observation of chemical dynamics with angstrom spatial and few-fs temporal resolution.
Source: Optica
DOI: 10.1364/optica.587785
Authors: Eleanor Weckwerth, Maria Trinidad Castro Duran, Ian Gabalski, Felix Allum, Matthew Bain, Surjendu Bhattacharyya, Christian Brahms, Logan Brenner, Mathew A. Britton, Andrés Moreno Carrascosa, Chuan Cheng, Xinxin Cheng, Stuart W. Crane, Alexandra Fraser, Aaron M. Ghrist, Ching-Chi Hang, Andrew J. Howard, Lisa Huang, Ramesh Jarupula, Brian Kaufman, Adam Kirrander, Eirik M. Liane, Yusong Liu, Haoran Ma, Michael P. Minitti, Sandra Mous, Nicole S. Muir, Alex Narkiewicz-Jodko, Joseph S. Robinson, David J. Romano, Mats Simmermacher, Jacob Stamm, Blanca Teodoro, John C. Travers, Jonathan Tsao, Peter M. Weber, Haowei Wu, Ruaridh Forbes, Haiwang Yong, Philip H. Bucksbaum, Mengning Liang, Kirk A. Larsen
Institutions: Stanford University, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Heriot-Watt University, University of Oxford, Brown University, University of California San Diego, Michigan State University
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,208
Funders: National Science Foundation, Leverhulme Trust, Royal Academy of Engineering, National Institutes of Health, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Basic Energy Sciences, Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists
Awards: Ultrafast Strong-Field Control of Coherence and Entanglement in Atoms and Molecules, A New Effect in Ultrafast X-ray Scattering, G2425841151, G2802312532, Electron Densities and Electron Correlations by X-Ray Scattering, G389884619, G4101533273, A Joined-up Approach to New Molecular Simulation Technologies to Harness Ultrafast Photochemistry, High-Repetition Rate X-ray Detector for the Coherent X-ray Imaging Instrument at LCLS, A Universal Approach for Solving Real-World Problems Using Quantum Dynamics: Coherent States for Molecular Simulations (COSMOS), G5993526748, Next Generation Experiment and Theory for Photoelectron Spectroscopy, G911061179, G916731797
OpenAlex ID: W7154228185
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