Ultrafast x-rays or ultrashort X-ray pulses are femtosecond x-ray pulses with wavelengths occurring at interatomic distances. This beam uses the X-ray's inherent abilities to interact at the level of atomic nuclei and core electrons. This ability combined with the shorter pulses at 30 femtosecond could capture the change in position of atoms, or molecules during phase transitions, chemical reactions, and other transient processes in physics

Physics

Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...

, chemistry

Chemistry

Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....

, and biology

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...

.

Fundamental transitions and processes

Ultrafast X-ray diffraction (time-resolved X-ray diffraction) can surpass ultrashortpulse visible techniques

Ultrashort pulse laser

An ultrashort pulse laser is a laser that emits ultrashort pulses of light, generally of the order of femtoseconds to ten picoseconds. Thus they are also known as ultrafast lasers. But "ultrafast laser" is a misnomer, since the speed of light is constant in a given medium.Common current ultrashort...

, which are limited to detecting structures on the level of valence

Valence

-Chemistry and physics:* Valence * Valence bond theory in chemistry* Valence shell in chemistry* Valence band in physics* Valence quarks in particle physics-In other sciences:* Valency...

 and free electrons. Ultrashortpulse x-ray

X-ray

X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...

 techniques are able to resolve atomic scales, where dynamic structural changes and reactions occur in the interior of a material.

Further reading

• Diagram of the table-top ultrafast X-ray diffractometer

• Figures and Tables. Nature Publishing Group. March 25, 1999.

External links

• Photon Science: X-Rays for Discovery