Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS)

How do complex structures emerge in nature—and can we control their formation? Supercrystals are a fascinating example, where their creation involves intricate interactions between charge, strain, heat, and other parameters across vast time and space scales. In a groundbreaking study, Stoica et al. shed new light on supercrystal formation. Their work explores how optical excitation can create a stable polar vortex supercrystal in a heterostructure engineered with precise electrostatic and elastic "frustrations". The transformation spans seven orders of magnitude in time, captured through single-shot optical pump and X-ray diffraction measurements. Each optical pulse triggers an irreversible phase change, making every experiment unique—an effort only possible with the ultra-high peak brightness of the LCLS at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Through thousands of measurements, they assembled a time-lapse of the transition process with X-rays. Upon femtosecond optical excitation, charges flood the film, collapsing the initial, disordered phases within the superlattice into a ‘primordial soup’ within picoseconds. This phase, persisting for a few nanoseconds, is crucial for forming the final supercrystal structure. As it cools, the strain dynamics drive the emergence of a single vortex supercrystal phase within tens of nanoseconds. The resulting structure exhibits repeating unit cells hundreds of angstroms wide—vastly larger than conventional crystals with unit cells only a few angstroms in size. This research opens a path to creating custom heterogeneous phases and controlling their interactions, from local to long-range, using external stimuli. Expanding beyond polar order, this method could allow us to shape electronic and magnetic phases, a vital step toward revolutionary applications in next-generation quantum materials. #Supercrystals #UltrafastScience #MaterialScience #ScientificBreakthrough https://lnkd.in/gkbibViV

The 2024 SSRL and LCLS Users' Meeting brought together nearly 500 participants to celebrate scientific collaboration and innovation. This weeklong event featured insightful discussions, workshops, and recognition of outstanding achievements in the field. Check out SLAC’s recap of the exciting highlights and takeaways from the meeting! #SLAC #LCLS #SSRL

🎉 Thrilled to share our latest research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society! 🎊 Using SLAC’s MeV-UED facility, we managed to visualize the competition between ultrafast isomerization and dissociation in the UV photochemistry of bromoform, which has been the topic of speculations for over two decades. The rate of formation, lifetime, and yield of the isomerization channel challenge state-of-the-art theories and set new benchmarks for future calculations, including the possible involvement of a roaming reaction mechanism. A huge thank you to the SLAC UED Team for their incredible support and to our collaborators at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in particular Martin Centurion and Pedro Nunes, as well as our colleagues at UC Berkeley. Dive into the article here: https://lnkd.in/gF4QCthm

🌎 Scientists used SLAC’s X-ray laser to unlock the secrets Earth's deep interior, opening new research avenues in Earth and planetary sciences. More here: https://lnkd.in/gXGnSxSs

Breakthrough in Non-linear X-ray Science: Stimulated X-ray Raman Scattering in Liquid Water Exciting news! For the first time, stimulated x-ray Raman scattering has been observed in liquid water using attosecond pulses at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. This groundbreaking study, led by Jon Marangos at Imperial College London and published in Science Advances, opens new avenues for exploring electronic excitations in materials. X-ray Raman scattering, a two-photon non-linear process, has long been used with optical and infrared wavelengths to probe vibrational excitations. Now, with x-rays, it allows scientists to delve into electronic excitations, offering unprecedented insights into molecular behavior. In this study, single attosecond pulses (~400 as) with a coherent energy bandwidth > 7 eV were used to excite a superposition of electronic states in the water molecule. The resulting excited state spectrum was encoded in the Raman emission photon spectrum. Currently limited to 120 Hz repetition rates, future measurements will see a dramatic increase in data rates (>1000x) with the new superconducting XFEL at LCLS, enabling even deeper exploration of time-resolved stimulated Raman emission from complex materials. Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gCFr8gWT #XRayScience #RamanScattering #AttosecondPulses #LCLS #XFEL #ScienceBreakthrough

The kickoff of the SSRL/LCLS Users’ Meeting at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory was met with incredible energy as participants eagerly dove into a day packed with learning and networking. The three workshops provided diverse, hands-on experiences tailored to deepen understanding and enhance skills: 📌 LCLS Data Analysis Workshop 📌 A Tutorial on X-ray Spectroscopy and Theoretical Modelling for Metalloproteins and Related Systems 📌 Hands-on Imaging Data Reduction Workshop with MicroAnalysis Toolkit v3 Today’s sessions set the stage for a fantastic meeting. We can't wait to see what the coming days have in store! #LCLS #SSRL #conference #networking #SLAC

LCLS Summer Internship Highlights This summer our interns at the Linac Coherent Light Source experienced a dynamic series of educational lectures and talks, each designed to deepen their scientific knowledge and skills. This immersive environment fostered both personal and professional growth, culminating in a spirited poster competition.    ☀️Thank you to all our speakers, organizers, and administrators for making this an unforgettable learning experience for our 2024 LCLS Interns!   -Laser School: Guided by instructor Andy Aquila. -Weekly Journal Club: Organized by Sebastien Dehe -How to Organize Scientific Poster Presentations: Led by Sandra Mous -Beyond the Expected: How to Gain the Most from the Unexpected: Presented by Devon "Koya" Lumbao-Conradson -Specialized Talks: Coordinated by Hillary Freeman and Rebecca Flores, MPA -Director and founder of the program: Alan Fry -Program Administrators: Arturo Garcia and Nina Lui   ☀️Congratulations to all our poster winners and participants for their remarkable achievements and contributions! It has been an inspiring journey watching these talented students immerse themselves in scientific discovery.   1st Place 🏆 Thomas J. Coulomb McGill University, Montreal, Canada ‘UV Transverse Beam Shaping Techniques’ Division: AD ARD FEL   2nd Place 🏆 Vandana G Kaushik San Francisco State University  ‘Simulation of Multi Electrode Lens Stack of MRCO: A Path Towards Digital Twin’ Division: LCLS SRD AMO Science   3rd Place 🏆 Andrea Zabala Foothill Community College  ‘Quality Control for X-ray Optics for MEC Imaging Experiment’ Division: LCLS MEC-U   Steve Edstrom Award 🏆 Marissa Kuo Santa Clara University ‘Laser Safety PLC Improvement Project’ Division: LCLS Laser Systems   Honorable Mention 🏆 Rose Wilson  University of Arizona ‘Tunning Resonant Dispersive Waves and Soliton Continua Using Hollow Core Fibers for Femtosecond Pump Probe Spectroscopy’ Division: LCLS SRD Laser Science     2025 Summer Internships at LCLS 📌 Applications open in early 2025 Visit our website for more details: https://lnkd.in/gBui5HTC   Join our 10-week summer internship program at the Linac Coherent Light Source and dive deep into cutting-edge research. This paid opportunity is designed for ambitious undergraduate and graduate students eager to work alongside top scientists and access state-of-the-art beamlines. Experience a stimulating and real-world research environment where groundbreaking discoveries are made. #SLAC #LCLS #Interns #LinacCoherentLightSource

[REMINDER] Call for LCLS Proposals – Run 24   🌟 We are excited to announce the call for LCLS Proposals for Run 24. This Run will offer capabilities on the soft X-ray instruments using the beam from the new LCLS-II superconducting high repetition rate accelerator. It also offers a continuation of the existing hard X-ray instruments, with dedicated use of the LCLS copper accelerator.   Submit your LCLS Run 24 proposals by September 11, 2024.   Details and Submission Guidelines: https://lnkd.in/geeWQ5QR Proposal Submission Portal: Proposals for Run 24 must be submitted through the new Universal Proposal System (UPS): https://lnkd.in/gUznw4je  For comprehensive details on using this system, please visit: https://lnkd.in/g9_nMVtg About LCLS: Learn more about the Linac Coherent Light Source and its impact on science: https://lnkd.in/eYW8YzjA   We look forward to your innovative proposals and continued contribution to groundbreaking science at LCLS! #PhotonScience #LCLS #XrayScience #ResearchOpportunity #LCLSProposalCalls

When light interacts with matter, the photoelectric effect can lead to the emission of electrons. This process, foundational in quantum mechanics, has been a subject of intense research. Taran Driver et al. have now investigated tiny delays in core-level electron emission, facilitated by attosecond x-ray pulses from LCLS at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. By measuring delays that reached up to 700 attoseconds and comparison to advanced theoretical simulations, the authors revealed the critical role of electron-electron interactions in core-level photoemission. A deeper understanding of electron-electron interactions can help to advance many technologies, including catalytic processes and solar light harvesting. This study marks the beginning of a series of experiments delving into electron dynamics within various molecular systems. The pioneering techniques developed are now being leveraged by research groups worldwide to explore the intricacies of electron behavior and molecular structures on a deeper level. The future of attosecond science at XFELs is bright! #Science #Research #Attosecond #XFEL https://lnkd.in/gXRK8nHv

Can light polarization be manipulated with materials a thousand times thinner than its wavelength? This breakthrough could be the key to next-generation optoelectronic devices. Traditionally, polarization control relies on bulky waveplates made from optically anisotropic crystals, with thicknesses comparable to the light's wavelength. In the terahertz (THz) range, these waveplates are typically 100 microns to 1 mm thick—far from ideal for integration with modern optoelectronics. In a recent study at the MeV-UED instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, researchers have demonstrated a significant birefringent response in the nanoscale anisotropic semimetal WTe2 at THz frequencies. Astonishingly, they achieved tunable THz polarization using just a 50-nanometer thick layer of WTe2—an ultrathin broadband waveplate, about one-thousandth the thickness of a wavelength, capable of producing quasi-circularly polarized THz light. The polarization was characterized using a novel near-field approach, where the time-dependent deflection of diffracted femtosecond electrons was measured in the modulated THz electromagnetic field. This discovery paves the way for the use of anisotropic semimetals as naturally occurring waveplates in integrated, on-chip 2D optoelectronic devices. Additionally, it introduces a new method for directly characterizing the THz optical properties of nanoscale materials in the near field, especially for samples smaller than the diffraction limit. Congratulations to the team on this remarkable achievement! The future of optoelectronics is brighter than ever! #Research #Science #Photonics #Electrondiffraction #THzlight https://lnkd.in/dT65DxkY