Using ELI-beamlines in molecular, biomedical and material sciences

Libor Juha Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague, Czech Republic E-mail: juha@fzu.cz

Great challenges in molecular, biomedical, and material sciences (MBM sciences) of 21st century can be formulated as follows:
Measuring the mechanisms of physical and chemical processes at the atomic scale. We need to develop cameras for making molecular movies and learn how to use them effectively to probe matter in quick motion. Controlling electronic processes in matter. In addition to that, nuclear dynamics following the electronic events should represent a subject of control.

Understanding the complexity. Efficient methods should be developed to control and investigate various processes in real, i.e., highly complex, systems in the state as they are present in nature.
Nanometre scale imaging of arbitrary objects in their native state, e.g., capturing a living cell at nanometre resolution. Nanometrically resolved dynamics of their responses to various stimuli.

Why MBM sciences need the ultra-short pulses (a) temporal scales of particular processes
electron dynamics: resolution better than 1 fs nuclear dynamics (molecular vibrations, phonon dynamics): characteristic times in ~ 10 fs intramolecular dynamics in large molecules: > 1 ps

times >> 1 ps: molecular fragmentation, real chemical change, radiative transitions in molecules (fluorescence) occur at longer time scales.
(b) Using a single sub-picosecond pulse avoids an influence of radiation damage to probed system on the measurement.

Subnanometer-scale measurements of the interaction of ultrafast soft X-ray free-electron-laser pulses with matter, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 145502 (2007)

Why MBM sciences need the ultra-intense radiation

A] because of probing and/or pumping highly diluted systems if we investigate a system containing the target species (e.g. ions, clusters, molecules) at very low concentration we need very high concentration of photons. Typical examples of such a system represent a cloud of highly charged ions, species doping a certain solid material and/or atomic, molecular or cluster beams.

B] because of probing and/or pumping a particular process in very complex systems if the system is composed of numerous compounds in several phases, the deposited radiation energy is distributed into many different channels. Thus only a minor portion of the pulse energy is utilized to initiate and/or visualize the particular species and/or process investigated. We should take into account that most of systems which investigation is motivated by an application are very complex, e.g., cells, tissues, organisms, artificial nanostructures, geological matter, etc.

Why MBM sciences need energetic photons and charged particles

a) The energetic particles, i.e., the short-wavelength radiation, are needed because of diffraction limit in either imaging with nanometer resolution (we have to probe nanostructures and microstructures) or targeting the energy deposition on the nanoscale. b) Another reason lies on the time scale. According to the Heisenberg principle we need an energetic quantum to fit in a short period of time.

c) Quantum energies emitted by ELI-driven sources may be varied over a wide range what makes it possible to control local energy densities and energy deposition rates. d) ELI driven sources provide also both photons and charged particles. This is of use for varying the depth deposition of radiation energy. Photons are absorbed exponentially, leaving maximum energy at the surface, while charged particles often deliver maximum energy in a certain depth within the near-surface region.

Why MBM sciences need ELI

ELI provides a unique opportunity of perfect spatial overlap and temporal synchronization of an fast optical laser beam with beams of ionizing radiation at highest parameters achievable using the technology of the near future. Such a combination allows to investigate very early stages of photochemical and/or radiation chemical processes.

Key research topics

(a) X-ray coherent imaging with atomic resolution (b) X-ray holography with atomic resolution (c) Time-resolved X-ray diffraction / radiography
(d) Sub-picosecond pulse radiolysis: looking at very early events in an interaction of ionizing radiation with matter

(e) Influencing and probing diluted systems: molecular and cluster beams, nanodroplets and nanocrystallites, surfaces and interfaces

Diluted systems: proposed experimental arrangement for a VUV/XUV/X-ray beaminduced photoionization and photodissociation of van-der-Waals clusters, to be implemented at MBM station of ELI.
CCD camera

TOF and Ion Imaging: Mass spectrometry and 3-D velocity imaging

MCP with Phosphorous

screen

Pick-up Cell Optional for embedding foreign molecules in clusters ELI-provided VUV/ XUV/X-ray beam: - photodissociation - photoionization

Molecular beam
Supersonic expansion

Electron gun

Skimmer Differentially pumped HV and UHV vacuum chambers

more details - Michal Farnik [e-mail: farnik@jh-inst.cas.cz]

Summary
At the MBM station(s) intended to be built and operated at ELI, following main layouts will be constructed, commissioned, and utilized in molecular, biomedical and materials research: a) the pulse radiolysis device with sub-ps resolution should be based on a combination of ELI-driven particle (i.e. electron, proton, highly charged ions) and/or energetic photon beam and properly delayed portion of the primary ELI beam for analysis of radiation-generated transients, b) ELI-driven electron beam will serve in the time-resolved electron diffraction apparatus; timing with a portion of the ELI optical beam allow to investigate structural changes in photo-transforming systems,

Summary cont.
c) coherent XUV/x-ray sources operated at ELI will be used for diffractive imaging of various objects, from single molecules to living cells; timing the short-wavelength beam with the long-wavelength one offers a possibility to investigate a fast response of the investigated system to high fluxes of low-energy photons, and d) ELI-drive short-wavelength sources allow looking also at spatiotemporal momentum patterns of photo-electrons and secondary electrons; this layout may provide important information on fast electronic and structural dynamics of highly energized molecular and supra-molecular systems. Coupling the short- and long-wavelength laser fields allows to clock the system on the very fine time scale (optical streak camera with ultra-high temporal resolution will be developed).

Thank you for your attention.