Forschung mit Freie-Elektronen-Lasern: Peter Paul Ewald-Fellowships am LCLS in Stanford / Free-Electron Laser Science: Peter Paul Ewald Fellowships at LCLS in Stanford

Bewilligungen / Grants 2011

Focusing X-ray free-electron laser beams for imaging and creating extreme conditions in matter

Bewilligung: 08.07.2011  Laufzeit:  3 Jahre

Modern X-ray free-electron lasers create new research opportunities, in particular regarding investigations on ultrashort time scales. For the most part, such measurements require a high spatial resolution as well. This can be achieved by means of magnified imaging or diffraction techniques. In both cases a focussing of the X-ray beam is necessary which is the aim of this fellowship. Refractive lenses of Beryllium (Be-CRLs) are promising optical components for the hard X-ray regime and have proven useful with various X-ray sources. In the framework of this project focussing X-ray optics is implemented, optimized and used at the "Matter in extreme conditions" experimental station at LCLS in Stanford. The quality of the optics will be tested in various experiments, such as time-resolved measurements of shock waves in aluminum and the preparation of warm dense matter.

Technische Universität Dresden
Physik
Institut für Strukturphysik
Dr. Andreas Schropp
Zellescher Weg 16
01062 Dresden
Tel.: 0351 46337588
Homepage: http://www.xray-lens.de

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Exploring Extreme States of Matter by time-resolved X-ray Spectroscopy

Bewilligung: 08.07.2011  Laufzeit:  3 Jahre

The physics of matter under extreme conditions, with pressures of several megabars, densities of up to 1000 g/cubic centimeter, and temperatures of several 10 000 K, is of fundamental scientific interest. Applications include laser produced plasmas, shock compression of solid matter, stellar and planetary interiors, as well as conditions in the early stages of the universe. Of particular interest for the diagnostics of extreme matter are femtosecond X-ray free electron lasers. On the one hand they serve to excite the target. On the other hand they provide diagnostics using spectroscopy, scattering, and imaging techniques. Furthermore, the ultra short pulses allow investigating the non-equilibrium dynamics of matter shortly after the excitation. The research focus lies on the dynamical response of dense samples to intense, ultrashort X-ray irradiation. In this project time-resolved X-ray Thomson scattering, X-ray spectroscopy, and Bragg diffraction as diagnostic methods are specially adapted to the requirements at LCLS.

Universität Jena
Physikalisch-Astronomische Fakultät
Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik
Dr. Ulf Zastrau
Max-Wien-Platz 1
07743 Jena
Tel.: 03641 947 610
Fax: 03641 947 262
Homepage: http://www.physik.uni-jena.de/inst/xro/

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Real time observation of chemical reactions on surfaces

Bewilligung: 08.07.2011  Laufzeit:  3 Jahre

The chemistry on surfaces governs the larger fraction of the industrially relevant chemical processes and is a key ingredient to solve modern challenges for the society, like the production of fuels in an eco-friendly way and the cleaning of exhaust gases from combustion processes. Nevertheless, the details of the electronic structure during reactions on surfaces are still unknown. The new hard X-ray free-electron lasers provide a unique tool to study the formation and breaking of bonds after the reaction has been induced by specific excitations. During the fellowship the formation of a chemical bond in real time is studied for the first time by measuring changes in the electronic structure. As example reaction the catalytic oxidation of carbonmonoxide will be used. In a secondary project, the new opportunities of the Terahertz source at LCLS will be exploited to induce novel ultrafast chemical processes on surfaces.

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin
für Materialien und Energie GmbH
Institut für Methoden und Instrumentierung der
Forschung mit Synchrotronstrahlung
Wilhelm-Konrad-Röntgen-Campus BESSY
Dr. Martin Beye
Albert-Einstein-Str. 15
12489 Berlin
Tel.: 0177 3185598

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XFEL Research: ultrafast dynamics in solids and pulse characterization

Bewilligung: 08.07.2011  Laufzeit:  3 Jahre

The purpose of this project is to broaden the fellow´s scientific perspectives by shifting the research focus from the development of X-ray sources to their application. More specifically it is planned to gain experimental expertise with X-ray free-electron lasers (XFEL) in diagnosing ultrashort X-ray pulses, investigating ultrafast processes and other applications of XFEL radiation. The focus is on nonlinear effects in fundamental light-matter interaction and on phonons in solid state systems. New scattering experiments in the Thomson and Compton regime are pursued at the LCLS in Stanford. Beamtime is already approved. After a two-year research period at Stanford, the return to Germany coincides with an extremely exciting time: The European XFEL will be in its start-up phase and laser-plasma acceleration will have somewhat matured allowing to take the next step in using and generating FEL radiation.

Universität Hamburg
Institut für Experimentalphysik
AG Beschleunigerphysik
Dr. Matthias Fuchs
Luruper Chaussee 149
22761 Hamburg

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Ultrafast X-ray Summer School at the Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science at DESY, Hamburg, Germany

20.06.2011 - 23.06.2011 in Hamburg

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg
Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL
Theory Division
Prof. Dr. Robin Santra

Universität Hamburg
FB Physik
Institut für Experimentalphysik
Prof. Dr. Wilfried Wurth

Universität Hamburg
FB Physik
Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL
Geb. 49a
Prof. R. J. Dwayne Miller, Ph.D.

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg
Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL
Coherent Imaging Division
Prof. Henry Chapman, Ph.D.

MIT Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Cambridge, MA
Dept. of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
Research Laboratory of Electronics
Bldg. 36
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Franz Kärtner
USA

Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg
Abt. Experimentelle Mehrteilchen-Quantendynamik
Prof. Dr. Joachim Ullrich

Universität Hamburg
FB Physik
Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL
& Max Planck-Forschungsgruppe für Strukturelle
Dynamik
Gebäude 49
Prof. Dr. Andrea Cavalleri

Ansprechpartner:
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg
Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL
Theory Division
Prof. Dr. Robin Santra
Notkestrasse 85
22607 Hamburg
Tel.: 040 8998 6300

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