Imaging density disturbances in water with a 41.3-attosecond time resolution

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Abbamonte P, Finkelstein KD, Collins MD, Gruner SM

Also See:
P. Abbamonte, K. D. Finkelstein, M. D. Collins, and S. M. Gruner, "X-Rayed Movie," Phys. Rev. Focus (14), (14 June 2004).

Abstract:
We show that the momentum flexibility of inelastic x-ray scattering may be exploited to invert its loss function, allowing real time imaging of density disturbances in a medium. We show the disturbance arising from a point source in liquid water, with a resolution of 41.3 attoseconds (4.13x10(-17) s) and 1.27 Angstrom (1.27x10(-8) cm). This result is used to determine the structure of the electron cloud around a photoexcited chromophore in solution, as well as the wake generated in water by a 9 MeV gold ion. We draw an analogy with pump-probe techniques and suggest that energy-loss scattering may be applied more generally to the study of attosecond phenomena.