Imaging Photo-induced Dynamics in Halomethane Molecules with Coincident Ion Momentum Spectroscopy

Imaging Photo-induced Dynamics in Halomethane Molecules with Coincident Ion Momentum Spectroscopy
Author: Balram Kaderiya
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2021
Genre:
ISBN:

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Molecular transformations triggered by the absorption of light are of tremendous importance in our day-to-day life, science, and technology. Examples of such "photo-induced" reactions include, among many others, photosynthesis, solar energy conversion, and mechanisms behind human vision. Besides knowing the final outcome of such reactions, for many scientific and technological applications it is crucially important to understand how they evolve in time, and how the motion of individual atoms leads to a certain outcome. For decades, resolving these processes in time represented a severe experimental challenge since the atomic motion involved is extremely fast. The availability of ultrashort, femtosecond laser pulses in combination with novel molecular imaging techniques provides experimental tools needed to address this challenge. This thesis describes the application of coincident ion momentum imaging setup, sometimes called "a reaction microscope", for studies of photo-induced dynamics in halomethane molecules (CH2I2, CH2ICl, CH3I). The main objective of this work is to visualize light-induced breaking, rearrangement and formation of molecular bonds, and to determine relevant mechanisms and time scales. Halomethanes are often considered as model systems for studying such prototypical photochemical events because they are small enough to allow for reasonable electronic structure calculations and for coincidence detection of all molecular fragments, while being large enough to be of chemical relevance and to undergo some fundamental chemical transformations. The work described here covers three different regimes of light-molecule interaction: (1) ionization and fragmentation by an intense near-infrared (NIR) field, (2) excitation of a neutral molecule by a single ultraviolet (UV) photon; and (3) ionization and fragmentation by a single extreme ultraviolet (XUV) photon. We specifically focus on several aspects of halomethane photochemistry that are of general importance, have been actively discussed in literature, and yet are difficult to access using more established imaging or spectroscopic techniques. More specifically, we first characterize molecular response to a single intense femtosecond NIR pulse at 800 nm, identifying and disentangling different ionization and fragmentation channels, and their signatures in various coincident observables. Then we apply multiple ionization and rapid dissociation ("Coulomb explosion") by such a pulse as a tool to map molecular dynamics in pump-probe experiments. In this approach, the information on molecular geometry at the time when the probe pulse arrives is extracted from the coincident measurement of the 3D momentum vectors of the detected fragment ions. We start with the NIR pump / NIR probe experiments on CH2I2 and CH2ICl molecules, aimed at characterizing bound and dissociating wave packets induced by a strong NIR field. Here, we find that both, dissociation dynamics and molecular halogen elimination (I2 or ICl) are mainly governed by the large-scale bending vibrations of the molecule, even though (weak) signatures of stretching vibrations can be also observed in the spectra. Focusing on the I2 (or ICl) elimination channel, which requires breaking two carbon-halogen bonds and formation of a new bond between the two halogen atoms, we demonstrate how it can be disentangled from the other fragmentation channels, and find that it is dominated by a direct, "synchronous" pathway. Then we apply the same approach and the same NIR probe pulses to study the photoexcitation of diiodomethane (CH2I2) by a femtosecond UV pulse at 266 nm in a UV pump / NIR probe experiment. Here, in addition to two-body dissociation and I2 elimination channels, we also observe a significant contribution of three-body dissociation. This channel can be easily separated in our triple-coincidence measurements, but is notoriously difficult to identify with most of the other techniques. Besides that, we find signatures of transient CH2I-I isomer formation within the first 100 femtoseconds after the initial photoexcitation. While the picosecond-scale isomerization of CH2I2 was clearly demonstrated earlier in the liquid-phase experiments in solution, and was shown to occur due to the interaction with the solvent, the existence of a much faster, intra-molecular isomerization pathway for isolated molecules in a gas phase was debated in literature. In this work, we provide direct evidence of such ultrafast, sub-100 fs CH2I2 isomerization, and demonstrate that the decay of this short-lived isomer opens up an additional pathway for molecular iodine elimination. Finally, we have performed a complementary study on CH2ICl and CH3I molecules employing short extreme ultraviolet pulses (XUV) from FLASH II free-electron laser facility in Hamburg, Germany. Here, one femtosecond XUV pulse at ~ 53 nm central wavelength is used to initiate the dynamics, mainly by single-photon ionization, while the second identical pulse is used to probe the evolution of the created ionic-state wave packets. Employing the same ion momentum imaging setup, we map different dissociative ionization channels and observe signature of intramolecular electron transfer between different sites of a dissociating molecular ion. In contrast to the results of earlier FEL experiments on X-ray inner-shell photoionization of dissociating halomethanes, which could be readily explained using the classical over-the-barrier charge transfer model, our data for valence XUV ionization suggest a more subtle dependence of the charge transfer probability on the internuclear distance, likely determined by the delocalization of molecular orbitals. Overall, the work presented in this thesis advances our understanding of different pathways in strong-field and single-photon induced photochemistry of halomethanes, and demonstrates an efficient and visual approach for mapping transient reaction intermediates. The tools and methodology presented here can be applied to study a broad range of ultrafast photochemical reactions, and can be useful for many strong-field imaging and control applications.

Imaging Nuclear Motion During the Photofragmentation of Halomethane Molecules Triggered by Ultraviolet Light

Imaging Nuclear Motion During the Photofragmentation of Halomethane Molecules Triggered by Ultraviolet Light
Author: Farzaneh Ziaee
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2022
Genre:
ISBN:

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Understanding the photoexcitation of molecules and visualizing the ensuing dynamics on their natural time scale is essential for our ability to describe and exploit many fundamental processes in different areas of science and technology. Prominent examples of such processes include, among many others, the adverse impacts of different classes of molecules on the ozone layer in atmospheric chemistry, light conversion into electricity through photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and some essential biological processes like vision and photosynthesis. Studies of molecular dynamics triggered by photon-molecule interaction underpin our understanding of many of these phenomena by adding the intermediate state to the "before-and-after" view of such photochemical or photobiological reactions. While identifying the initial molecular structure at equilibrium and determining the final products are crucial steps for the reaction characterization, understanding the dynamics connecting these initial and final states is essential for comprehending how the reaction really happens and potentially controlling its outcome. In other words, besides the "static" view of photo-induced reactions, identifying all intermediate states involved and mapping their spatio-temporal evolution are of great interest and importance. Since photoexcitation often induces coupled electron and nuclear motion on Angström spatial and femtosecond time scales, resolving such dynamics in space and time represents a significant scientific and technological challenge. Experimental tools to address this challenge have recently become available with the development of femtosecond lasers and imaging techniques capable of visualizing the evolving molecular structure. The present thesis aims to investigate the photodissociation dynamics of halomethane molecules triggered by ultraviolet (UV) light using coincidence ion momentum imaging as a primary structural characterization tool. Halomethanes are often considered as prototypical systems for molecular photodissociation in the UV domain. Due to the complicated excited-state structure driving the photochemistry of these molecules, they exhibit rich dynamics while being small enough to still allow for a detailed theoretical treatment. The primary goal of this work is to disentangle the photo-induced reaction channels, including direct and indirect dissociation pathways, and to visualize the motion of the individual molecular fragments in each of these channels. The photofragmentation reactions considered here include two- and three-body dissociation, transient isomerization and molecular halogen formation. The experiments are carried out at two different excitation wavelengths, 263 nm and 198 nm, which enables varying the dominant reaction pathways. To carry out these measurements, the 3rd and 4th harmonics of a 790 nm Ti: Sa femtosecond laser are used to initiate the dynamics of interest, which are then probed by multiple ionization and Coulomb explosion induced by an intense 790 nm pulse arriving after a variable time delay. The ions created in such pump-probe experiments are detected employing COLd Target Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy (COLTRIMS). To facilitate interpreting the experimental results, they are compared to an extensive set of Coulomb explosion simulations. More specifically, this thesis describes three major studies. The first one is a set of time-resolved measurements on iodomethane (CH3I) photodissociation in the A-band, one of the best-studied reactions in ultrafast photochemistry. Here, the focus is on a detailed characterization of direct dissociation dynamics by Coulomb explosion imaging (CEI) and disentangling the competing reaction pathways involving single- and multi-photon excitations. The coincident measurement mode and an improved time resolution of 40-45 fs allowed us to observe a new feature in the two-body CEI pattern of this well-studied reaction, which was predicted theoretically but not yet observed experimentally, and to identify signatures of two- and three-photon processes populating Rydberg and ionic states. The second part of this work focuses on time-resolved studies of bromoiodomethane (CH2BrI) and chloroiodomethane (CH2ICl) photofragmentation in the A-band at 263 nm and, in particular, on imaging the co-fragment rotation. Here, the main objectives are to evaluate the effects of halogen-atom substitution on molecular dynamics and map the time evolution of individual photodissociation pathways. For these molecules, photoabsorption in the A-band predominantly breaks the C-I bond, with weaker but non-negligible contribution from the C-Br (or C-Cl) bond cleavage. Coincident two-body CEI analysis is used to map both of these channels, as well as a minor contribution from molecular halogen (IBr or ICl) formation. Three-body CEI patterns offer a deeper insight into the dynamics of these reactions and, in addition, reveal clear signatures of the three-body dissociation, which - at this wavelength - is most likely driven by the two-photon absorption. The three-body analysis also suggests that some fragmentation pathways pass through a transient linearized configuration, which is reached within ~100 fs from the initial photoabsorption and decays on a comparably fast time scale. One of the interesting aspects of dihalomethanes photodissociation in the A-band is that, unlike CH3I, where the excess energy is primarily channeled into translational motion, a significant portion of the available energy is partitioned into rotational excitation. Carbon-halogen bond cleavage results in the rotation of the molecular co-fragment, which can be unambiguously traced in the coincident three-body CEI maps for the corresponding dissociation channel. In this work, such rotational motion is directly imaged for the dissociation of either halogen atom, resulting in a "molecular movie" of the dissociating and rotating molecule. The third group of experiments described in this thesis includes time-resolved studies of bromoiodomethane and diiodomethane (CH2I2) photofragmentation in the B-band at 198 nm. In this part, the main goal is to trace the wavelength dependence of the photochemical reaction pathways. For CH2BrI, we observe a reversal of the branching ratio of C-I and C-Br bond cleavage compared to the 263 nm data, in agreement with earlier spectroscopic and theoretical studies. However, at 198 nm, three-body dissociation and molecular halogen formation become dominant photofragmentation channels for both molecules. Finally, the CH3I photodissociation is also studied in the B-band at 198 nm, where the excitation of the lowest-lying Rydberg states is expected to trigger pre-dissociation dynamics. Although no in-depth data analysis and modeling for this reaction have been carried out, the two-body CEI results clearly demonstrate the pre-dissociation nature of CH3I fragmentation at this wavelength, reflected in a broad, diffuse dissociation band, which is very different from distinct dissociation features observed for direct dissociation processes. Moreover, the data exhibit a pronounced oscillatory structure with a periodicity of 130-140 fs, which is visible only within the pre-dissociation lifetime of the excited state (~1.5 ps). While the exact origin of this structure remains unclear and will be a subject of further analysis and theoretical work, it most likely reflects the bound-state vibrational motion, which lasts until it pre-dissociates. The work presented in this thesis represents a significant step towards a better understanding of the UV-driven photochemistry of halomethanes and contains several examples of direct visualization of the atomic motion during these photochemical reactions. Our experimental approach enabled us to identify and disentangle different dissociation pathways and track their time evolution. The experimental methodology described here can be directly applied to investigate the light-driven nuclear motion in other molecular systems with different light sources.

Studies of Photoinduced Molecular Dynamics Using a Fast Imaging Sensor

Studies of Photoinduced Molecular Dynamics Using a Fast Imaging Sensor
Author: Craig S. Slater
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2015-10-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319245171

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The work presented in this thesis involves a number of sophisticated experiments highlighting novel applications of the Pixel Imaging Mass Spectrometry (PImMS) camera in the field of photoinduced molecular dynamics. This approach represents the union of a new enabling technology (a multiple memory register, CMOS-based pixel detector) with several modern chemical physics approaches and represents a significant leap forward in capabilities. Applications demonstrated include three-dimensional imaging of photofragment Newton spheres, simultaneous electron-ion detection using a single sensor, and ion-ion velocity correlation measurements that open the door to novel covariance imaging experiments. When combined with Coulomb explosion imaging, such an approach is demonstrated to allow the measurement of molecular structure and motion on a femtosecond timescale. This is illustrated through the controlled photoexcitation of torsional motion in biphenyl molecules and the subsequent real-time measurement of the torsional angle.

Coulomb Explosion Imaging of Polyatomic Molecules After Photoionization with X-rays and Strong Laser Fields

Coulomb Explosion Imaging of Polyatomic Molecules After Photoionization with X-rays and Strong Laser Fields
Author: Utuq Ablikim
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2017
Genre:
ISBN:

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Imaging the structures of molecules, understanding the molecular dynamics in onization and dissociation processes and, most importantly, observing chemical reactions, i.e. the making and breaking of chemical bonds in real time, have become some of the most exciting topics in the atomic and molecular physics. The rapid advances of experimental tools such as synchrotron radiation light sources, free-electron lasers and continuing advances of tabletop femtosecond ultrashort lasers that provide laser pulses at a variety of wavelengths have opened new avenues for understanding the structure of matter and the dynamics of the chemical interactions. In addition, significant improvements in computational techniques and molecular dynamic simulations have provided complementary theoretical predictions on structures and chemical dynamics. The Coulomb explosion imaging method, which has been developed and applied in many studies in the last three decades, is a powerful way to study molecular structures. The method has mostly been applied to small diatomic molecules and to simple polyatomic molecules. In this thesis, Coulomb explosion imaging is applied to study the structure of isomers, molecules that have the same chemical formula but different chemical structures. Specifically, by taking inner-shell photoionization as well as strong-field ionization approaches to ionize and fragment the molecules and by using coincidence electron-ion-ion momentum imaging techniques to obtain the three-dimensional momentum of fragment ions, structures of isomers are distinguished by using the correlations among product ion momentum vectors. At first, the study aims to understand if the Coulomb explosion imaging of geometrical isomers can identify and separate cis and trans structures. Secondly, in order to extend the application of the Coulomb explosion imaging method to larger organic molecules to test the feasibility of the method for identifying structural isomers, photoionization studiesof 2,6- and 3,5-difluoroiodobenzene have been conducted. In addition, using the full three-dimensional kinematic information of multi-fold coincidence channels, breakup dynamics of both cis/trans geometric isomers and structural isomers, and in particular, sequential fragmentation dynamics of the difluoroiodobenzene isomers are studied. Furthermore, for each study, Coulomb explosion model simulations are conducted to complement the experimental results. The results of the Coulomb explosion imaging reseach in this thesis paves the way for future time-resolved Coulomb explosion imaging experiments aiming to understand the transient molecular dynamics such as photoinduced ring opening reactions and cis/trans isomerization processes in gas-phase molecules.

Probing Ultrafast Dynamics of Photo-initiated Events Using Molecular-frame Electron Angular Distributions

Probing Ultrafast Dynamics of Photo-initiated Events Using Molecular-frame Electron Angular Distributions
Author: Shungo Miyabe
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2010
Genre:
ISBN: 9781124509167

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This thesis will show how the photo-induced fragmentation of molecules into neutrals, ions and electrons can probe molecular and electronic dynamics through combination of ab initio theory with detailed momentum imaging experiments. We report the results of ab initio calculations of cross sections and molecular-frame photoelectron angular distributions for C 1s ionization of CO2 and propose a mechanism for the recently observed asymmetry of those angular distributions with respect to the CO and O ions produced by subsequent Auger decay. The results presented here will show how the Auger decay can be used to probe ultrafast molecular dynamics of the transient molecule. We have also discovered the appearance of vibrational Feshbach resonances in photodetachment of HOCO− that demonstrates how the photoelectron kinetic energy measurements can be used to deduce the properties of dipole-bound anion. Finally, we report the precise quantum mechanical calculations of body-frame photoelectron angular distributions for double photoionization of H2 that identifies the true diffractive energy regime in the smallest molecular two-slit experiment imaginable. In this particular case it is the knowledge of the orientation that makes the discussion of angular diffraction effects possible, demonstrating the unique qualities of this powerful momentum imaging techniques.

Nanoscale Photonic Imaging

Nanoscale Photonic Imaging
Author: Tim Salditt
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 634
Release: 2020-06-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030344134

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This open access book, edited and authored by a team of world-leading researchers, provides a broad overview of advanced photonic methods for nanoscale visualization, as well as describing a range of fascinating in-depth studies. Introductory chapters cover the most relevant physics and basic methods that young researchers need to master in order to work effectively in the field of nanoscale photonic imaging, from physical first principles, to instrumentation, to mathematical foundations of imaging and data analysis. Subsequent chapters demonstrate how these cutting edge methods are applied to a variety of systems, including complex fluids and biomolecular systems, for visualizing their structure and dynamics, in space and on timescales extending over many orders of magnitude down to the femtosecond range. Progress in nanoscale photonic imaging in Göttingen has been the sum total of more than a decade of work by a wide range of scientists and mathematicians across disciplines, working together in a vibrant collaboration of a kind rarely matched. This volume presents the highlights of their research achievements and serves as a record of the unique and remarkable constellation of contributors, as well as looking ahead at the future prospects in this field. It will serve not only as a useful reference for experienced researchers but also as a valuable point of entry for newcomers.

Brilliant Light in Life and Material Sciences

Brilliant Light in Life and Material Sciences
Author: Vasili Tsakanov
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 484
Release: 2007-03-31
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1402057229

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This book contains an excellent overview of the status and highlights of brilliant light facilities and their applications in biology, chemistry, medicine, materials and environmental sciences. Overview papers on diverse fields of research by leading experts are accompanied by the highlights in the near and long-term perspectives of brilliant X-Ray photon beam usage for fundamental and applied research.

Chemistry and Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in the Environment

Chemistry and Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in the Environment
Author: H.J. Bloemen
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401121524

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Interest in the occurrence and behaviour of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is increasing due to their adverse effects on the environment and human health. It is essential that information is made available on the various aspects of research on VOCs to enable better understanding and control of the various environmental and human health threats. The information in this book will be used to improve communication and understanding of the various approaches. In particular the potential and limitations of the described analytical methods will be essential in defining environmental studies and interpreting the results.

Characterization of Solid Surfaces

Characterization of Solid Surfaces
Author: Philip F. Kane
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 675
Release: 2013-11-27
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1461344905

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Until comparatively recently, trace analysis techniques were in general directed toward the determination of impurities in bulk materials. Methods were developed for very high relative sensitivity, and the values determined were average values. Sampling procedures were devised which eliminated the so-called sampling error. However, in the last decade or so, a number of developments have shown that, for many purposes, the distribution of defects within a material can confer important new properties on the material. Perhaps the most striking example of this is given by semiconductors; a whole new industry has emerged in barely twenty years based entirely on the controlled distribu tion of defects within what a few years before would have been regarded as a pure, homogeneous crystal. Other examples exist in biochemistry, metallurgy, polyiners and, of course, catalysis. In addition to this of the importance of distribution, there has also been a recognition growing awareness that physical defects are as important as chemical defects. (We are, of course, using the word defect to imply some dis continuity in the material, and not in any derogatory sense. ) This broadening of the field of interest led the Materials Advisory Board( I} to recommend a new definition for the discipline, "Materials Character ization," to encompass this wider concept of the determination of the structure and composition of materials. In characterizing a material, perhaps the most important special area of interest is the surface.

An Introduction to Planetary Atmospheres

An Introduction to Planetary Atmospheres
Author: Agustin Sanchez-Lavega
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 632
Release: 2011-06-27
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1420067354

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Planetary atmospheres is a relatively new, interdisciplinary subject that incorporates various areas of the physical and chemical sciences, including geophysics, geophysical fluid dynamics, atmospheric science, astronomy, and astrophysics. Providing a much-needed resource for this cross-disciplinary field, An Introduction to Planetary Atmospheres presents current knowledge on atmospheres and the fundamental mechanisms operating on them. The author treats the topics in a comparative manner among the different solar system bodies—what is known as comparative planetology. Based on an established course, this comprehensive text covers a panorama of solar system bodies and their relevant general properties. It explores the origin and evolution of atmospheres, along with their chemical composition and thermal structure. It also describes cloud formation and properties, mechanisms in thin and upper atmospheres, and meteorology and dynamics. Each chapter focuses on these atmospheric topics in the way classically done for the Earth’s atmosphere and summarizes the most important aspects in the field. The study of planetary atmospheres is fundamental to understanding the origin of the solar system, the formation mechanisms of planets and satellites, and the day-to-day behavior and evolution of Earth’s atmosphere. With many interesting real-world examples, this book offers a unified vision of the chemical and physical processes occurring in planetary atmospheres. Ancillaries are available at www.ajax.ehu.es/planetary_atmospheres/