Perspective: Opportunities for ultrafast science at SwissFEL.

Rafael Abela,Thomas Feurer,Henrik Lemke,Gerhard Ingold,Gebhard Schertler,Luc Patthey,Paul Beaud,Jörg Standfuss,Peter Radi,Majed Chergui,Steven L Johnson,Bill Pedrini,Johannes Haase,Urs Staub,Chris J Milne,Gregor Knopp,Jeroen A Van Bokhoven

doi:10.1063/1.4997222

Abstract

We present the main specifications of the newly constructed Swiss Free Electron Laser, SwissFEL, and explore its potential impact on ultrafast science. In light of recent achievements at current X-ray free electron lasers, we discuss the potential territory for new scientific breakthroughs offered by SwissFEL in Chemistry, Biology, and Materials Science, as well as nonlinear X-ray science.

Highlights

The birth of Femtochemistry, initiated by the late Ahmed Zewail about 30 years ago,1,2 made it possible to follow in “real-time” the nuclear motion within molecules, proteins, solids, and liquids
We present the main specifications of the newly constructed Swiss Free Electron Laser, SwissFEL, and explore its potential impact on ultrafast science
In light of recent achievements at current X-ray free electron lasers, we discuss the potential territory for new scientific breakthroughs offered by SwissFEL in Chemistry, Biology, and Materials Science, as well as nonlinear X-ray science

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The birth of Femtochemistry, initiated by the late Ahmed Zewail about 30 years ago, made it possible to follow in “real-time” the nuclear motion within molecules, proteins, solids, and liquids. The primary tool for this will be a 6-circle hard X-ray Kappa-diffractometer with a 1.5M Jungfrau 2D detector mounted on the detector arm, which is capable of both resonant and non-resonant diffraction experiments In addition to this instrument, Bernina will have a general-purpose station (GPS) upon which a user can mount or build his or her experimental setup. In addition to the two instruments described earlier, a third instrument will be in use at ESB It is named ESB-MX, and is designed to perform serial femtosecond X-ray protein crystallography measurements in the photon energy range above 5 keV, with protein crystal samples mounted on a solid support.109. Techniques of particular interest include resonant diffraction,108111 X-ray spectroscopy,112114 X-ray scattering,115117 and electron/ion techniques.118121

APPLICATIONS IN CHEMISTRY

APPLICATIONS IN CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS

APPLICATIONS IN STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY

APPLICATIONS TO NON-LINEAR X-RAY SCIENCE

OUTLOOK