[MOS] May 3, 2016, David Reis, Stanford University

[Rebecca Teixeira]

Seminar on




Modern Optics and Spectroscopy

Ultrafast X-ray laser studies of lattice dynamics


David Reis


Stanford University

Tuesday, May 3, 2016
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.




X-ray free-electron lasers (FEL) could revolutionize our understanding of dynamics of matter at the level of electrons and atoms.  They produce extremely short pulses with minimal divergence and large pulse energy, resulting in a billion times the peak brightness of storage ring-based synchrotron sources.  A challenge for scientists is to make effective use of the high-brightness, especially given that the machines are also very noisy with large shot-to-shot fluctuations.  This may seem incompatible with high-resolution spectroscopy of elementary excitations in solids, nonetheless, I will make the case for using FELs to study lattice dynamics.  I will draw on recent results form our group where we perform high-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering in the time-domain, using relatively broad-band pulses and without the use of an analyzer. Here we generate optically broad-band vibrational coherences spanning the Brillouin zone that are subsequently probed by the scattering of a time-delayed x-ray.  I will discuss implications for studying energy conversion and transport both in and out of equilibrium.

Grier Room, MIT Bldg. 34-401
Refreshments served after the lecture
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