Journal Article

Atomic-Scale Visualization of Inertial Dynamics

Sheppard, J, MacPhee, A. G, Luening, K, Bucksbaum, P. H, Fritz, D. M, Pahl, R, Schlarb, H, Bergh, M, Weinstein, D, Tschentscher, Th, Allison, T. K, Falcone, R. W, Sokolowski-Tinten, K, Als-Nielsen, J, Arthur, J, Duesterer, S, Hignette, O, Bong, E, Hansen, T. N, Kao, C. C, Ischebeck, R, Akre, R. A, Matthews, T, Reis, D. A, Lindenberg, A. M, Synnergren, O, Schulte-Schrepping, H, Techert, S, Lee, R. W, Schneider, J, Huldt, G, Timneanu, N, Cavalieri, A. L, Blome, C, Brennan, S, van der Spoel, D, Gaffney, K. J, Larsson, J, von der Linde, D, Siddons, D. P, Sette, F, Caleman, C, Fuoss, P. H, Lowney, D. P, Wark, J. S, Krejcik, P, Chapman, H. N, Lee, S. H, Rudati, J, Hajdu, J, Hastings, J. B

2005

Overview

The motion of atoms on interatomic potential energy surfaces is fundamental to the dynamics of liquids and solids. An accelerator-based source of femtosecond x-ray pulses allowed us to follow directly atomic displacements on an optically modified energy landscape, leading eventually to the transition from crystalline solid to disordered liquid. We show that, to first order in time, the dynamics are inertial, and we place constraints on the shape and curvature of the transition-state potential energy surface. Our measurements point toward analogies between this nonequilibrium phase transition and the short-time dynamics intrinsic to equilibrium liquids.

• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science,The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subject: Antibiotics / Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics / Atom- och molekylfysik och optik (Här ingår: Kemisk fysik, kvantoptik) / Atoms / Atoms & subatomic particles / chemical elements / Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties / Crystal lattices / Electrons / Energy / Equations of state, phase equilibria, and phase transitions / Exact sciences and technology / Fluid dynamics / Fysik / image analysis / Inertia / Lasers / Lattice dynamics / Liquids / Natural Sciences / Naturvetenskap / Observations / Phase transformations (Statistical physics) / phase transition / Phase transitions / Physical Sciences / Physics / Potential energy / Research and Development / Room temperature / Solid-liquid transitions / Spatial Ability / Specific phase transitions / Speed / Statistical mechanics of lattice vibrations and displacive phase transitions / Synchrotron radiation / Time constants / Topography / Topology / X-radiation