Artistic illustration of chirality science with a free-electron laser. AI-based analysis reveals the time-energy and polarisation structure of every ultrashort pulse. The acquired in-depth knowledge allows for site-specific observations in chiral systems and molecules (here: Glycyl-l-alanine). (Credit: Physical Review Research, Markus Ilchen)
Over the past years, scientists worldwide have collaborated extensively to develop cutting-edge approaches with helical free-electron laser (FEL) pulses. These advancements aim to capture some of the fastest motions in nature, exploring them at the level of specific elements with a special ‘twist’. In Physical Review Research, leading experts from institutions such as the University of Hamburg, DESY, European XFEL, and SLAC outline the immediate and long-term prospects of this emerging technological era. The implications for physics, chemistry, and structural biology are profound, with potential ripple effects for daily life.
FELs offer an extraordinary ability to study matter with atomic resolution on the natural timescales of atomic and electronic motion – ranging from femtoseconds to attoseconds. The advent of helical pulses from FELs opens up new avenues for investigating the prototypical building blocks of life, with the ultimate goal of decoding and influencing their functions on extreme temporal and spatial scales. Chirality, or “handedness,” is a fundamental property of life’s building blocks, decisively influencing odor, taste, and drug efficacy, to name a few examples. ‘Rotating’ X-rays from FELs can now act as an innovative spiraling key to this well-protected lock of Nature.
“What makes this publication truly special is that it represents a large, interdisciplinary collaboration of researchers from around the world who have led pioneering work in this upcoming field of science” says Peter Walter from SLAC and a visiting scientist at the University of Hamburg, a leading author on the publication.
“The technological advent of polarisation control for the brightest X-ray and extreme ultraviolet pulses available to date with exposure times allowing to track electron movement is a fascinating perspective that we have dreamt of for a long time. We stand at the verge of this new field of science and hope to stimulate many more colleagues worldwide to join our efforts and share our enthusiasm!” says the first author of the paper, DESY scientist Markus Ilchen, who is also a professor at the University of Hamburg and a researcher in the Cluster of Excellence “CUI: Advanced Imaging of Matter”. Hamburg scientists from various groups contributed to the publication, as the central goal of the cluster is to understand the emergent behaviour of matter and – one step further – to dynamically create new functionalities.
The publication provides a comprehensive overview of FEL systems worldwide, including facilities such as FERMI in Italy, LCLS (II) in the USA, European XFEL and FLASH in Germany, SwissFEL in Switzerland, and SHINE and SXFEL in China. These pioneering institutions have recognised the importance of ultrabright, ultrashort, and fully polarisation-controllable light pulses, laying the groundwork for a new chapter of scientific discovery. Eminent authors from experimental and theoretical physics who have already contributed to this young field of science have outlined the road to new discoveries of gas-phase science with polarisation-controllable FELs. By harnessing the intricate interactions of X-rays with matter down to attosecond timescales – at extreme intensities and with full polarisation control – they hope to inspire scientific breakthroughs in the research of life’s mysteries and new collaborations and applications that could transform both industry and society.
(from DESY News)
Reference:
Markus Ilchen, Peter Walter et al., Opportunities for Gas-Phase Science at Short-Wavelength Free-Electron Lasers with Undulator-Based Polarization Control, Physical Review Research (2024), DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.011001
