Ultrafast X-ray Science

Ultrafast X-ray science studies materials by capturing images at extremely short timescales—trillionths of a second—using intense X-ray pulses. This allows scientists to observe rapid changes in atomic and molecular structures during processes like chemical reactions or phase transitions. By doing so, they can understand the fundamental dynamics of matter in real time, unlocking insights into how materials behave at the most basic level. This field combines advanced X-ray sources, such as free-electron lasers, with sophisticated detection methods, enabling us to see and analyze phenomena that occur too quickly for traditional imaging techniques.