Coherent diffractive imaging at synchrotrons and XFEL & Ultrafast non-thermal melting of ice using an XFEL pulse

Filipe Maia, Cell and Molecular Biology: Coherent diffractive imaging at synchrotrons and XFEL

The advent of very coherent X-ray sources, in the form of diffraction limited storage rings and X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has opened new possibilities to coherent diffractive imaging. In this talk I will talk about what is possible using coherent diffractive imaging, and in particular focus on ptychography at synchrotrons and single-particle flash X-ray imaging at XFELs.

Carl Caleman, Chemical and Bio-molecular Physics, UU: Ultrafast non-thermal melting of ice using an XFEL pulse

The bright ultrafast pulses of X-ray Free-Electron Lasers allow investigation into the structure of matter under extreme conditions. We have reported experimental study using single pulses to ionize and probe water as it undergoes a phase transition from liquid to plasma. We report changes in the structure of liquid water on a femtosecond time scale when irradiated by single 6.86 keV X-ray pulses of more than 106 J/cm2. These observations are supported by simulations based on molecular dynamics and plasma dynamics of a water system that is rapidly ionized and driven out of equilibrium.  Here I will present new simulations results on a crystalline sample, ice, showing that the crystal order is maintained up to 40 fs after the sample is pushed into the plasma phase. This exotic state of matter, a crystalline plasma, has not been described in this context before.