Time-resolved Soft X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Research Articles

Operando time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy for photoexcitation processes of metal complexes in solutions.

Operando time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy (TR-SXAS) is an effective method to reveal the photochemical processes of metal complexes in solutions. In this study, we have developed the TR-SXAS measurement system for observing various photochemical reactions in solutions by the combination of laser pump pulses with soft x-ray probe pulses from the synchrotron radiation. For the evaluation of the developed TR-SXAS system, we have measured nitrogen K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) spectra of aqueous iron phenanthroline solutions during a photoinduced spin transition process. The decay process of the high spin state to the low spin state in the iron complex has been obtained from the ligand side by N K-edge XAS, and the time constant is close to that obtained from the central metal side by time-resolved Fe K-edge XAS in the previous studies.

Towards Understanding Excited-State Properties of Organic Molecules Using Time-Resolved Soft X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy.

The extension of the pump-probe approach known from UV/VIS spectroscopy to very short wavelengths together with advanced simulation techniques allows a detailed analysis of excited-state dynamics in organic molecules or biomolecular structures on a nanosecond to femtosecond time level. Optical pump soft X-ray probe spectroscopy is a relatively new approach to detect and characterize optically dark states in organic molecules, exciton dynamics or transient ligand-to-metal charge transfer states. In this paper, we describe two experimental setups for transient soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy based on an LPP emitting picosecond and sub-nanosecond soft X-ray pulses in the photon energy range between 50 and 1500 eV. We apply these setups for near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) investigations of thin films of a metal-free porphyrin, an aggregate forming carbocyanine and a nickel oxide molecule. NEXAFS investigations have been carried out at the carbon, nitrogen and oxygen K-edge as well as on the Ni L-edge. From time-resolved NEXAFS carbon, K-edge measurements of the metal-free porphyrin first insights into a long-lived trap state are gained. Our findings are discussed and compared with density functional theory calculations.

Quantitative evaluation of transient valence orbital occupations in a 3d transition metal complex as seen from the metal and ligand perspective

It is demonstrated for the case of photo-excited ferrocyanide how time-resolved soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy in transmission geometry at the ligand K-edge and metal L3-edge provides quantitatively equivalent valence electronic structure information, where signatures of photo-oxidation are assessed locally at the metal as well as the ligand. This allows for a direct and independent quantification of the number of photo-oxidized molecules at two soft X-ray absorption edges highlighting the sensitivity of X-ray absorption spectroscopy to the valence orbital occupation of 3d transition metal complexes throughout the soft X-ray range.

Time-resolved soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy in transmission mode on liquids at MHz repetition rates.

We present a setup combining a liquid flatjet sample delivery and a MHz laser system for time-resolved soft X-ray absorption measurements of liquid samples at the high brilliance undulator beamline UE52-SGM at Bessy II yielding unprecedented statistics in this spectral range. We demonstrate that the efficient detection of transient absorption changes in transmission mode enables the identification of photoexcited species in dilute samples. With iron(II)-trisbipyridine in aqueous solution as a benchmark system, we present absorption measurements at various edges in the soft X-ray regime. In combination with the wavelength tunability of the laser system, the set-up opens up opportunities to study the photochemistry of many systems at low concentrations, relevant to materials sciences, chemistry, and biology.

Element-specific characterization of transient electronic structure of solvated Fe(II) complexes with time-resolved soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

Polypyridyl transition-metal complexes are an intriguing class of compounds due to the relatively facile chemical designs and variations in ligand-field strengths that allow for spin-state changes and hence electronic configurations in response to external perturbations such as pressure and light. Light-activated spin-conversion complexes have possible applications in a variety of molecular-based devices, and ultrafast excited-state evolution in these complexes is of fundamental interest for understanding of the origins of spin-state conversion in metal complexes. Knowledge of the interplay of structure and valence charge distributions is important to understand which degrees of freedom drive spin-conversion and which respond in a favorable (or unfavorable) manner. To track the response of the constituent components, various types of time-resolved X-ray probe methods have been utilized for a broad range of chemical and biological systems relevant to catalysis, solar energy conversions, and functional molecular devices. In particular, transient soft X-ray spectroscopy of solvated molecules can offer complementary information on the detailed electronic structures and valence charge distributions of photoinduced intermediate species: First-row transition-metal L-edges consist of 2p-3d transitions, which directly probe the unoccupied valence density of states and feature lifetime broadening in the range of 100 meV, making them sensitive spectral probes of metal-ligand interactions. In this Account, we present some of our recent progress in employing picosecond and femtosecond soft X-ray pulses from synchrotron sources to investigate element specific valence charge distributions and spin-state evolutions in Fe(II) polypyridyl complexes via core-level transitions. Our results on transient L-edge spectroscopy of Fe(II) complexes clearly show that the reduction in σ-donation is compensated by significant attenuation of π-backbonding upon spin-crossover. This underscores the important information contained in transient metal L-edge spectroscopy on changes in the 3d orbitals including oxidation states, orbital symmetries, and covalency, which largely define the chemistry of these complexes. In addition, ligand K-edge spectroscopy reveals the "ligand view" of the valence charge density by probing 1s-2p core-level transitions at the K-edge of light elements such as nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen. In the case of Fe(II) spin-conversion complexes, additional details of the metal-ligand interactions can be obtained by this type of X-ray spectroscopy. With new initiatives in and construction of X-ray free-electron laser sources, we expect time-resolved soft X-ray spectroscopy to pave a new way to study electronic and molecular dynamics of functional materials, thereby answering many interesting scientific questions in inorganic chemistry and material science.

Time-resolved soft x-ray absorption setup using multi-bunch operation modes at synchrotrons

Here, we report on a novel experimental apparatus for performing time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy in the sub-ns time scale using non-hybrid multi-bunch mode synchrotron radiation. The present setup is based on a variable repetition rate Ti:sapphire laser (pump pulse) synchronized with the ~500 MHz x-ray synchrotron radiation bunches and on a detection system that discriminates and singles out the significant x-ray photon pulses by means of a custom made photon counting unit. The whole setup has been validated by measuring the time evolution of the L(3) absorption edge during the melting and the solidification of a Ge single crystal irradiated by an intense ultrafast laser pulse. These results pave the way for performing synchrotron time-resolved experiments in the sub-ns time domain with variable repetition rate exploiting the full flux of the synchrotron radiation.

Photo-Induced Spin-State Conversion in Solvated Transition Metal Complexes Probed via Time-Resolved Soft X-ray Spectroscopy

Solution-phase photoinduced low-spin to high-spin conversion in the Fe(II) polypyridyl complex [Fe(tren(py)(3))](2+) (where tren(py)(3) is tris(2-pyridylmethyliminoethyl)amine) has been studied via picosecond soft X-ray spectroscopy. Following (1)A(1) --> (1)MLCT (metal-to-ligand charge transfer) excitation at 560 nm, changes in the iron L(2)- and L(3)-edges were observed concomitant with formation of the transient high-spin (5)T(2) state. Charge-transfer multiplet calculations coupled with data acquired on low-spin and high-spin model complexes revealed a reduction in ligand field splitting of approximately 1 eV in the high-spin state relative to the singlet ground state. A significant reduction in orbital overlap between the central Fe-3d and the ligand N-2p orbitals was directly observed, consistent with the expected ca. 0.2 A increase in Fe-N bond length upon formation of the high-spin state. The overall occupancy of the Fe-3d orbitals remains constant upon spin crossover, suggesting that the reduction in sigma-donation is compensated by significant attenuation of pi-back-bonding in the metal-ligand interactions. These results demonstrate the feasibility and unique potential of time-resolved soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy to study ultrafast reactions in the liquid phase by directly probing the valence orbitals of first-row metals as well as lighter elements during the course of photochemical transformations.

Space- and time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy of aluminum plasma induced by femtosecond-laser ablation

. We developed a space- and time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy system for the study of ablation dynamics induced by femtosecond laser irradiation onto an aluminum target. The system consists of an x-ray microscope for imaging and a femtosecond-laserplasma x-ray source for time-resolved measurements. Ablation of neutral and condensed aluminum particles following plasma expansion was observed as shifts of the aluminum L-shell photoabsorption edge in space- and time resolved absorbance spectra.

Observation of femtosecond-laser-induced ablation plumes of aluminum using space- and time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy

The dynamics of the laser ablation plume expansion of aluminum was investigated by using space- and time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Blueshifts of the Al L-shell photoabsorption edge indicating the state of aluminum were observed in the plumes, which were generated by irradiating an aluminum target with 120fs near-infrared pulses at an intensity of 1014W∕cm2. The spatiotemporal evolution of the plumes exhibited a multilayer structure consisting of vaporized aluminum and condensed aluminum particles, following the expansion of plasma, with expansion velocities of 104m∕s for the atomic state and 103m∕s for the condensed state.

Soft x-ray imaging system for picosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy using a femtosecond-laser-plasma source

We have developed an imaging system for time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The system consists of a femtosecond-laser-plasma x-ray source for time-resolved measurements and an x-ray microscope with critical illumination for imaging. The temporal and spatial resolutions were 23ps and better than 12.5μm, respectively. We applied this system to the measurement of an aluminum ablation plume induced by irradiation with a 120fs laser pulse. The shift of the L-shell photoabsorption edge in the expanding plume was observed in the spatiotemporally resolved absorbance spectrum. The space- and time-resolved x-ray absorption spectrum of an expanding laser ablation plume was clearly obtained using the developed system.

Interaction of Laser Light with Solids

Laser ablation using nanosecond pulsed laser light includes some important transient processes during and after laser irradiation. In this paper, the optical absorption of semiconductors and the energy relaxation of excited electrons and holes are briefly described, followed by rapid phase transformation such as transient melting and vaporization which lead to laser ablation of materials. Initial processes of vaporization of solids due to laser ablation have been investigated by several time-resolved measurements. Here we describe a method of time-resolved soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurement to show an example of the initial plume produced by laser ablation of Si. This technique gives us information of the time dependence of ejection of Si atoms and Si ions (Si+˜Si4+), and their time-dependent spatial profiles. In addition to nanosecond pulsed laser ablation, characteristics of femtosecond pulsed laser ablation is also discussed, which has been very important to applications.

Time-resolved soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy of silicon using femtosecond laser plasma x rays

We measured time-resolved soft x-ray absorption of photoexcited silicon by means of pump-probe spectroscopy, using a picosecond soft x-ray pulse from femtosecond laser-produced plasma as a probe. We observed a 5% increase in the absorption caused by 1010 W/cm2 intensity laser pulse irradiation near the LII,III edge at 100 eV. The change was observed only when the laser and the soft x-ray pulses overlapped on the sample both in time and space.