Time-Resolved Single-Particle X-ray Scattering Reveals Electron-Density Gradients As Coherent Plasmonic-Nanoparticle-Oscillation Source.

Dynamics of optically excited plasmonic nanoparticles are presently understood as a series of scattering events involving the initiation of nanoparticle breathing oscillations. According to established models, these are caused by statistical heat transfer from thermalized electrons to the lattice. An additional contribution by hot-electron pressure accounts for phase mismatches between theory and experimental observations. However, direct experimental studies resolving the breathing-oscillation excitation are still missing. We used optical transient-absorption spectroscopy and time-resolved single-particle X-ray diffractive imaging to access the electron system and lattice. The time-resolved single-particle imaging data provided structural information directly on the onset of the breathing oscillation and confirmed the need for an additional excitation mechanism for thermal expansion. We developed a new model that reproduces all of our experimental observations. We identified optically induced electron density gradients as the initial driving source.

Spatial Separation of the Conformers of Methyl Vinyl Ketone.

Methyl vinyl ketone (C4H6O) is a volatile, labile organic compound of importance in atmospheric chemistry. We prepared a molecular beam of methyl vinyl ketone with a rotational temperature of 1.2(2) K and demonstrated the spatial separation of the s-cis and s-trans conformers of methyl vinyl ketone using the electrostatic deflector. The resulting sample density was 1.5(2) × 108 cm-3 for the direct beam in the laser ionization region. These conformer-selected methyl vinyl ketone samples are well suited for conformer-specific chemical reactivity studies such as in Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions.

Molecular movie of ultrafast coherent rotational dynamics of OCS.

Recording molecular movies on ultrafast timescales has been a longstanding goal for unravelling detailed information about molecular dynamics. Here we present the direct experimental recording of very-high-resolution and -fidelity molecular movies over more than one-and-a-half periods of the laser-induced rotational dynamics of carbonylsulfide (OCS) molecules. Utilising the combination of single quantum-state selection and an optimised two-pulse sequence to create a tailored rotational wavepacket, an unprecedented degree of field-free alignment, 〈cos2θ2D〉 = 0.96 (〈cos2θ〉 = 0.94) is achieved, exceeding the theoretical limit for single-pulse alignment. The very rich experimentally observed quantum dynamics is fully recovered by the angular probability distribution obtained from solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation with parameters refined against the experiment. The populations and phases of rotational states in the retrieved time-dependent three-dimensional wavepacket rationalises the observed very high degree of alignment.

Note: Knife edge skimming for improved separation of molecular species by the deflector.

A knife edge for shaping a molecular beam is described to improve the spatial separation of the species in a molecular beam by the electrostatic deflector. The spatial separation of different molecular species from each other as well as from atomic seed gas is improved. The column density of the selected molecular-beam part in the interaction zone, which corresponds to higher signal rates, was enhanced by a factor of 1.5, limited by the virtual source size of the molecular beam.

Characterizing and optimizing a laser-desorption molecular beam source.

The design and characterization of a new laser-desorption molecular beam source, tailored for use in x-ray free-electron laser and ultrashort-pulse laser imaging experiments, is presented. It consists of a single mechanical unit containing all source components, including the molecular-beam valve, the sample, and the fiber-coupled desorption laser, which is movable in five axes, as required for experiments at central facilities. Utilizing strong-field ionization, we characterize the produced molecular beam and evaluate the influence of desorption laser pulse energy, relative timing of valve opening and desorption laser, sample bar height, and which part of the molecular packet is probed on the sample properties. Strong-field ionization acts as a universal probe and allows detecting all species present in the molecular beam, and hence enables us to analyze the purity of the produced molecular beam, including molecular fragments. We present optimized experimental parameters for the production of the purest molecular beam, containing the highest yield of intact parent ions, which we find to be very sensitive to the placement of the desorbed-molecule plumes within the supersonic expansion.

Improved spatial separation of neutral molecules.

We have developed and experimentally demonstrated an improved electrostatic deflector for the spatial separation of molecules according to their dipole-moment-to-mass ratio. The device features a very open structure that allows for significantly stronger electric fields as well as for stronger deflection without molecules crashing into the device itself. We have demonstrated its performance using the prototypical carbonyl sulfide molecule and we discuss opportunities regarding improved quantum-state-selectivity for complex molecules and the deflection of unpolar molecules.

Adiabatic Mixed-Field Orientation of Ground-State-Selected Carbonyl Sulfide Molecules.

A strong adiabatic mixed-field orientation (Nup /Ntot =0.882) of carbonyl sulfide (OCS) molecules in their absolute ground state is experimentally demonstrated. OCS is oriented in a combination of nonresonant laser and static electric fields inside a two-plate velocity map imaging spectrometer. The transition from nonadiabatic to adiabatic orientation for the rotational ground state is studied by varying the applied laser intensity and static electric field. Above static electric field strengths of 10 kV cm-1 and laser intensities of 1011 W cm-2 the observed degree of orientation reaches a plateau. These results are in good agreement with computational solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation.

Separating para and ortho water.

Water exists as two nuclear-spin isomers, para and ortho, determined by the overall spin of its two hydrogen nuclei. For isolated water molecules, the conversion between these isomers is forbidden and they act as different molecular species. Yet, these species are not readily separated, and no pure para sample has been produced. Accordingly, little is known about their specific physical and chemical properties, conversion mechanisms, or interactions. The production of isolated samples of both spin isomers is demonstrated in pure beams of para and ortho water in their respective absolute ground state. These single-quantum-state samples are ideal targets for unraveling spin-conversion mechanisms, for precision spectroscopy and fundamental symmetry-breaking studies, and for spin-enhanced applications, for example laboratory astrophysics and astrochemistry or hypersensitized NMR experiments.

Specific chemical reactivities of spatially separated 3-aminophenol conformers with cold Ca+ ions.

Many molecules exhibit multiple rotational isomers (conformers) that interconvert thermally and are difficult to isolate. Consequently, a precise characterization of their role in chemical reactions has proven challenging. We have probed the reactivity of specific conformers by using an experimental technique based on their spatial separation in a molecular beam by electrostatic deflection. The separated conformers react with a target of Coulomb-crystallized ions in a trap. In the reaction of Ca(+) with 3-aminophenol, we find a twofold larger rate constant for the cis compared with the trans conformer (differentiated by the O-H bond orientation). This result is explained by conformer-specific differences in the long-range ion-molecule interaction potentials. Our approach demonstrates the possibility of controlling reactivity through selection of conformational states.