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X-Ray Diffraction from Isolated and Strongly Aligned Gas-Phase Molecules with a Free-Electron Laser

Jochen Küpper et al.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 083002 – Published 28 February 2014
Physics logo See Focus story: X rays Measure Lone Molecules
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Abstract

We report experimental results on x-ray diffraction of quantum-state-selected and strongly aligned ensembles of the prototypical asymmetric rotor molecule 2,5-diiodobenzonitrile using the Linac Coherent Light Source. The experiments demonstrate first steps toward a new approach to diffractive imaging of distinct structures of individual, isolated gas-phase molecules. We confirm several key ingredients of single molecule diffraction experiments: the abilities to detect and count individual scattered x-ray photons in single shot diffraction data, to deliver state-selected, e.g., structural-isomer-selected, ensembles of molecules to the x-ray interaction volume, and to strongly align the scattering molecules. Our approach, using ultrashort x-ray pulses, is suitable to study ultrafast dynamics of isolated molecules.

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  • Received 16 July 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.083002

© 2014 American Physical Society

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X rays Measure Lone Molecules

Published 28 February 2014

Researchers measured an atomic distance in a molecule without using a crystal, which is usually required. Instead they used a beam of isolated molecules.

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Vol. 112, Iss. 8 — 28 February 2014

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