Scientists at the European XFEL used ultrafast X-rays to observe chemical reactions unfolding atom by atom [1].
This breakthrough allows researchers to track the precise movement of atoms during light-driven chemistry, providing a level of detail previously unavailable to science [2]. By capturing these transitions, scientists can better understand how molecules transform absorbed light into physical motion [2].
The team utilized time-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to record the process [1]. This technology enables the observation of changes occurring in just trillionths of a second [2]. The researchers specifically tracked changes in the molecule 3-fluoropyridine [1].
Researchers said the team tracked changes in the molecule 3-fluoropyridine over just two picoseconds [1]. The process involved recording individual atoms as they shifted during the reaction [2].
"Scientists at the European XFEL have observed light-driven chemical reactions unfolding atom by atom using time-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy," researchers said [1].
The ability to monitor these reactions opens a powerful new window into light-driven chemistry [2]. By tracking changes in molecules with such precision, the European XFEL team can map the trajectory of chemical transformations as they happen in real time [2].
“Ultrafast X-rays revealed how a molecule converts absorbed light into motion in just trillionths of a second.”
The ability to visualize atomic movement on a picosecond timescale represents a shift from observing the beginning and end of a reaction to seeing the actual process. This precision allows scientists to identify the exact mechanisms of molecular change, which is essential for developing more efficient catalysts and advanced materials in light-driven chemistry.
