X-ray scattering has been an indispensable tool in advancing our understanding of matter,from the first evidence of the crystal lattice to recent discoveries of nuclei’s fastest dynamics.In addition to the lattice,ul...X-ray scattering has been an indispensable tool in advancing our understanding of matter,from the first evidence of the crystal lattice to recent discoveries of nuclei’s fastest dynamics.In addition to the lattice,ultrafast resonant elastic scattering of soft X-rays provides a sensitive probe of charge,spin,and orbital order with unparalleled nanometre spatial and femto-to picosecond temporal resolution.However,the full potential of this technique remains largely unexploited due to its high demand on the X-ray source.Only a selected number of instruments at large-scale facilities can deliver the required short-pulsed and wavelength-tunable radiation,rendering laboratory-scale experiments elusive so far.Here,we demonstrate time-resolved X-ray scattering with spectroscopic contrast at a laboratory-based instrument using the soft-X-ray radiation emitted from a laser-driven plasma source.Specifically,we investigate the photo-induced response of magnetic domains emerging in a ferrimagnetic FeGd heterostructure with 9 ps temporal resolution.The achieved sensitivity allows for tracking the reorganisation of the domain network on pico-to nanosecond time scales in great detail.This instrumental development and experimental demonstration break new ground for studying material dynamics in a wide range of laterally ordered systems in a flexible laboratory environment.展开更多
1 Editorial Prof.Pierre Agostini was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics for demonstrating experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter,along with Fere...1 Editorial Prof.Pierre Agostini was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics for demonstrating experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter,along with Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier.Their ingenious experimental designs and rigorous measurement techniques turned attosecond pulses into a new probe for exploring the microscopic behavior of matter.From electron rearrangements inside atoms to the ultrafast transfer of energy in molecules,attosecond technology is reshaping our understanding of light-matter interactions.Today,its impact extends far beyond fundamental physics,enabling real-time tracking of chemical reactions,the development of novel materials,and even the study of ultrafast processes in life sciences.Agostini’s scientific achievement lies not only in the technical breakthrough itself,but in opening a door to an unexplored world—where time is sliced into its finest fragments,and every instant of an electron’s motion becomes an observable reality.展开更多
基金funding from the Leibniz Association through the Leibniz Junior Research Group Grant No.J134/2022from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG)through TRR 227,Project No.A02.
文摘X-ray scattering has been an indispensable tool in advancing our understanding of matter,from the first evidence of the crystal lattice to recent discoveries of nuclei’s fastest dynamics.In addition to the lattice,ultrafast resonant elastic scattering of soft X-rays provides a sensitive probe of charge,spin,and orbital order with unparalleled nanometre spatial and femto-to picosecond temporal resolution.However,the full potential of this technique remains largely unexploited due to its high demand on the X-ray source.Only a selected number of instruments at large-scale facilities can deliver the required short-pulsed and wavelength-tunable radiation,rendering laboratory-scale experiments elusive so far.Here,we demonstrate time-resolved X-ray scattering with spectroscopic contrast at a laboratory-based instrument using the soft-X-ray radiation emitted from a laser-driven plasma source.Specifically,we investigate the photo-induced response of magnetic domains emerging in a ferrimagnetic FeGd heterostructure with 9 ps temporal resolution.The achieved sensitivity allows for tracking the reorganisation of the domain network on pico-to nanosecond time scales in great detail.This instrumental development and experimental demonstration break new ground for studying material dynamics in a wide range of laterally ordered systems in a flexible laboratory environment.
文摘1 Editorial Prof.Pierre Agostini was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics for demonstrating experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter,along with Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier.Their ingenious experimental designs and rigorous measurement techniques turned attosecond pulses into a new probe for exploring the microscopic behavior of matter.From electron rearrangements inside atoms to the ultrafast transfer of energy in molecules,attosecond technology is reshaping our understanding of light-matter interactions.Today,its impact extends far beyond fundamental physics,enabling real-time tracking of chemical reactions,the development of novel materials,and even the study of ultrafast processes in life sciences.Agostini’s scientific achievement lies not only in the technical breakthrough itself,but in opening a door to an unexplored world—where time is sliced into its finest fragments,and every instant of an electron’s motion becomes an observable reality.
