Time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy (TRXAS) at the Co L 3 -edge was used to identify metal-centered (MC) character in the S 1 excited state of cyanocobalamin (CNCbl). Cobalamins have UV/visible spectra that are dominated by intense corrin-based excitations, but these ligand-centered states energetically overlap with charge transfer and MC excited states that may be populated following photoexcitation. Ultrafast optical and hard X-ray spectroscopy have shown that CNCbl forms a structurally distorted S 1 state, but these probes lack a clear signature of the S 1 electronic identity, which theory has suggested is a ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) state. Femtosecond soft X-ray TRXAS offers greater state-selectivity than many optical or hard X-ray probes, but has, so far, been limited to highly concentrated (≥100 mM) samples. A new experimental setup at the European X-ray Free Electron Laser (EuXFEL) that enables studies of sub-10 mM samples and provides ∼100 fs time-resolution is used to measure the TRXAS of CNCbl at the Co L 3 -edge. Comparison of the L 3 -edge XAS spectrum measured at 0.8 ps with ligand field multiplet simulations indicates that the S 1 state is primarily a MC excited state. The sub-20 µOD detection sensitivity achieved in this study demonstrates the possibility of applying this method to a wide range of naturally-occurring and synthetic transition metal complexes.

Elucidating the microscopic behavior of cuprates under ultrafast photoexcitation offers critical insights into their highly correlated out-of-equilibrium states. Although quasiparticle dynamics have been investigated extensively, the behavior of collective magnetic excitations remains comparatively unexplored. Here, we use time-resolved resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (trRIXS) at the Cu L_3-edge to track the collective magnetic excitations (paramagnons) in an optimally electron-doped cuprate driven out-of-equilibrium by a femtosecond pump laser pulse. Upon pumping, we observed an anti-Stokes signal associated with paramagnon generation, which modifies the paramagnon dispersion near the zone center, although the bandwidth remained unchanged. Moreover, the spectral weight exhibits a momentum-dependent variation across the Brillouin zone. The light-driven boost of the paramagnon population and the resulting spectral-weight transfer could provide new leverage to manipulate the properties of cuprates.

Electron-phonon and electron-ion coupling dynamics in warm dense copper are investigated using femtosecond time-resolved X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy at the Cu L-3 edge. Measurements performed with 0.5 eV spectral and 100 fs temporal resolutions reveal pronounced transient changes in pre-edge absorption, indicating strong nonequilibrium behavior in the electronic system. By comparing experimental spectra with simulations based on a modified two-temperature model coupled with density functional theory-calculated density of states, the temporal evolution of coupling strength is quantified across solid and liquid phases. Nonequilibrium electron distributions are found to significantly enhance electron-phonon coupling in the solid phase due to broadened electron energy distributions immediately following laser excitation. Upon melting, the coupling becomes weaker and less sensitive to electron distributions, reflecting a transition to a more disordered atomic structure and increasingly thermalized electrons. These experimental observations are accurately reproduced by theoretical modeling that explicitly incorporates electron relaxation dynamics. The critical role of nonequilibrium electron kinetics in understanding ultrafast energy transfer processes in laser-excited materials is thus highlighted, providing benchmark data essential for future modeling of material behavior under extreme conditions.

A fundamental understanding of the interplay between lattice structure, polarization and electrons is pivotal to the optical control of ferroelectrics. The interaction between light and matter enables the remote and wireless control of the ferroelectric polarization on the picosecond timescale, while inducing strain, i.e., lattice deformation. At equilibrium, the ferroelectric polarization is proportional to the strain, and is typically assumed to be so also out of equilibrium. Decoupling the polarization from the strain would remove the constraint of sample design and provide an effective knob to manipulate the polarization by light. Here, upon an above-bandgap laser excitation of the prototypical ferroelectric BaTiO_3, we induce and measure an ultrafast decoupling between polarization and strain that begins within 350 fs, by softening Ti-O bonds via charge transfer, and lasts for several tens of picoseconds. We show that the ferroelectric polarization out of equilibrium is mainly determined by photoexcited electrons, instead of the strain. This excited state could serve as a starting point to achieve stable and reversible polarization switching via THz light. Our results demonstrate a light-induced transient and reversible control of the ferroelectric polarization and offer a pathway to control by light both electric and magnetic degrees of freedom in multiferroics.

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) is a powerful photon-in, photon-out spectroscopy technique for probing electronic, magnetic, and lattice excitations in matter. Time-resolved RIXS extends this capability through a stroboscopic optical pump-probe scheme to characterize the time evolution of the photoexcitation and subsequent relaxation dynamics of a sample. This technique is, however, extremely photon-hungry, requiring high-repetition-rate and intense X-ray facilities. The Heisenberg RIXS (hRIXS) spectrometer at the Spectroscopy and Coherent Scattering (SCS) instrument of the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (EuXFEL) is designed to exploit high-repetition-rates, while maintaining optimal time and energy resolution. In this work, we demonstrate the successful deployment of a JUNGFRAU detector equipped with an inverse Low Gain Avalanche Diode (iLGAD) sensor for time-resolved RIXS studies in the soft X-ray range, using the hRIXS spectrometer. A spatial resolution of 19.71 ± 0.7 μm and a resolving power exceeding 10,000 were achieved at an unprecedented frame rate of 47 kHz. Intra-train resolved data measured with a high FEL peak fluence of 1.8 mJ/cm^2 for a 928.5 eV ph photon energy and 1.1 MHz repetition rate from cupric oxide (CuO) revealed a decrease in the emitted signal by 10

Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) is an ideal X-ray spectroscopy method to push the combination of energy and time resolutions to the Fourier transform ultimate limit, because it is unaffected by the core-hole lifetime energy broadening. And in pump-probe experiments the interaction time is made very short by the same core-hole lifetime. RIXS is very photon hungry so it takes great advantage from high repetition rate pulsed X-ray sources like the European XFEL. The hRIXS instrument is designed for RIXS experiments in the soft X-ray range with energy resolution approaching the Fourier and the Heisenberg limits. It is based on a spherical grating with variable line spacing (VLS) and a position-sensitive 2D detector. Initially, two gratings are installed to adequately cover the whole photon energy range. With optimized spot size on the sample and small pixel detector the energy resolution can be better than 40 meV at any photon energy below 1000 eV. At the SCS instrument of the European XFEL the spectrometer can be easily positioned thanks to air-pads on a high-quality floor, allowing the scattering angle to be continuously adjusted over the 65-145 deg range. It can be coupled to two different sample interaction chamber, one for liquid jets and one for solids, each equipped at the state-of-the-art and compatible for optical laser pumping in collinear geometry. The measured performances, in terms of energy resolution and count rate on the detector, closely match design expectations. hRIXS is open to public users since the summer of 2022.

Strong electronic correlation can lead to insulating behavior and to the opening of large optical gaps, even in materials with partly filled valence shells. Although the non-equilibrium optical response encodes both local (quasi atomic) and collective (long range) responses, optical spectroscopy is usually more sensitive to the latter. Resonant x-ray techniques are better suited to investigate the quasi-atomic properties of correlated solids. Using time-resolved resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS), here we study the ultrafast non-equilibrium processes in NiO following photo-excitation by ultraviolet photons with energy exceeding the optical gap. We observe the creation of charge-transfer excitons that decay with a time constant of about 2 ps, while itinerant photo-doping persists for tens of picoseconds. Following our discovery, which establishes time-resolved high-resolution RIXS as a powerful tool for the study of transient phenomena in condensed matter, the possible presence of charge-transfer excitons will need to be considered when interpreting optical pump-probe experiments on correlated quantum materials.

Warm dense matter is at the boundary between a plasma and a condensed phase and plays a role in astrophysics, planetary science and inertial confinement fusion research. However, its electronic structure and ionic structure upon irradiation with strong laser pulses remain poorly understood. Here, we use an intense and ultrafast X-ray free-electron laser pulse to simultaneously create and characterize warm dense copper using L-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy over a large irradiation intensity range. Below a pulse intensity of 1015 W cm-2, an absorption peak below the L edge appears, originating from transient depletion of the 3d band. This peak shifts to lower energy with increasing intensity, indicating the movement of the 3d band upon strong X-ray excitation. At higher intensities, substantial ionization and collisions lead to the transition from reverse saturable absorption to saturable absorption of the X-ray free-electron laser pulse, two nonlinear effects that hold promise for X-ray pulse-shaping. We employ theoretical calculations that combine a model based on kinetic Boltzmann equations with finite-temperature real-space density-functional theory to interpret these observations. The results can be used to benchmark non-equilibrium models of electronic structure in warm dense matter. Warm dense copper, created by an X-ray free-electron laser, features a transition from reverse saturable absorption to saturable absorption. The results can be used to benchmark non-equilibrium models of electronic structure in warm dense matter.

A change of orbital state alters the coupling between ions and their surroundings drastically. Orbital excitations are hence key to understand and control interaction of ions. Rare-earth elements with strong magneto-crystalline anisotropy (MCA) are important ingredients for magnetic devices. Thus, control of their localized 4 f magnetic moments and anisotropy is one major challenge in ultrafast spin physics. With time-resolved x-ray absorption and resonant inelastic scattering experiments, we show for Tb metal that 4 f -electronic excitations out of the ground-state multiplet occur after optical pumping. These excitations are driven by inelastic 5 d -4 f -electron scattering, altering the 4 f -orbital state and consequently the MCA with important implications for magnetization dynamics in 4 f -metals and more general for the excitation of localized electronic states in correlated materials.

Photo-doped states in strongly correlated charge transfer insulators are characterized by $d$-$d$ and $d$-$p$ interactions and the resulting intertwined dynamics of charge excitations and local multiplets. Here we use femtosecond x-ray absorption spectroscopy in combination with dynamical mean-field theory to disentangle these contributions in NiO. Upon resonant optical excitation across the charge transfer gap, the Ni $L_3$ and O $K$ absorption edges red-shift for $>10$ ps, which is explained by a simultaneous Hartree shift and a renormalization of the local interactions. Furthermore, below the Ni $L_3$ edge an additional signature is identified for $<1$ ps, which reflects a transient nonthermal population of local many-body multiplets. Overall, the photo-doped state differs significantly from a chemically doped state. Our results demonstrate the ability to reveal excitation pathways in correlated materials by x-ray spectroscopies, which is relevant for ultrafast materials design.

Finding efficient ways to generate and manipulate spin currents on ultrafast time scales is one of the hot topics in spintronics. Near-infrared (NIR) femtosecond pulses have demonstrated their perfect performance in this regard when interacting with ferromagnet/heavy metal heterostructures. The generated spin-transfer current can be converted into a charge current in a non-magnetic heavy metal layer emitting terahertz (THz) waves. Here we present our results showing that similar processes can also be observed using electromagnetic pulses of spectral ranges far beyond previous reports. The results show that THz pulses irradiating the heterostructure can not only be efficiently down-converted by an optical rectification mechanism (OR), as in case of NIR, but also up-converted, resulting in THz second harmonic generation (SHG) [1]. In the case of extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pumping, we show that the XUV pulse parameters are encoded in the parameters of the emitted THz pulse, allowing a robust single-shot monitoring technique for the arrival time, energy, and duration of the XUV pulse [2].

The parent compound BaBiO3 of bismuthate high-temperature superconductors (HTSCs) BaBi(Pb)O3 and Ba(K)BiO3 with perovskitelike structure exhibits unusual electronic and structural properties, which can be satisfactorily explained if we assume that all charge carriers are in the paired state. However, the prior experiments and the first-principle calculations only indirectly indicate the existence of paired charge carriers in BaBiO3. In this work, we report the direct evidence of initially paired electrons and holes in the upper antibonding Bi 6s−O2pσ* orbital of the neighboring octahedral complexes in the ground state of BaBiO3 using the time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to monitor the electron dynamics after the femtosecond resonant 633 nm laser excitation. We observe strong changes in the oxygen K-edge XAS preedge region, defined by the Bi6s−O2pσ* orbitals. We interpret them as a fast (≤0.3 ps) breaking of charge carrier pairs and slower (0.3–0.8 ps) lattice rearrangement from the distorted monoclinic structure into the new metastable state with a cubic lattice, which persists at least up to 60 ps after the excitation. Analysis of the intermediate state at the fast excitation shows that the bond disproportionation and monoclinic distortion of BaBiO3 structure are energetically favorable due to the charge carrier pairing. Thus the compound BaBiO3 forms a new quantum state that we define as a local pair density wave. Taking into account a large number of similarities between bismuthate and cuprate high-temperature superconductors, we believe that our work will give a new impetus to understanding the nature of superconductivity in perovskite HTSCs. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Optically induced intersite spin transfer (OISTR) promises manipulation of spin systems within the ultimate time limit of laser excitation. Following its prediction, signatures of ultrafast spin transfer between oppositely aligned spin sublattices have been observed in magnetic alloys and multilayers. However, it is known neither from theory nor from experiment whether the band structure immediately follows the ultrafast change in spin polarization or whether the exchange split bands remain rigid. We show that ultrafast spin transfer occurs even in ferromagnetic gadolinium metal. Charge transfer between localized surface and extended valence-band states leads to a decrease of the surface spin polarization. This synchronously alters the exchange splitting of the bulk valence bands during laser excitation. Moreover, the onset of demagnetization can be tuned by over 200 fs by changing the temperature-dependent spin mixing. Our results show a promising route to ultrafast control of the magnetization, widening the impact and applicability of OISTR.

The tailoring of spin-crossover films has made significant progress over the past decade, mostly motivated by the prospect in technological applications. In contrast to spin-crossover complexes in solution, the investigation of the ultrafast switching in spin-crossover films has remained scarce. Combining the progress in molecule synthesis and film growth with the opportunities at X-ray free-electron lasers, we study the photoinduced spin-state switching dynamics of a molecular film at room temperature. The subpicosecond switching from the S = 0 low-spin ground state to the S = 2 high-spin state is monitored by analyzing the transient evolution of the Fe L3 X-ray absorption edge fine structure, i.e. element-specifically at the switching center of the Fe(II) complex. Our measurements show the involvement of an intermediate state in the switching. At large excitation fluences, the fraction of high-spin molecules saturates at ≈50%, which is likely due to molecule-molecule interaction within the film.

Time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy (tr-XAS) has been shown to be a versatile measurement technique for investigating non-equilibrium dynamics. Novel X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) facilities like the European XFEL offer increased repetition rates for stroboscopic XAS experiments through a burst operation mode, which enables measurements with up to 4.5 MHz. These higher repetition rates lead to higher data acquisition rates but can also introduce long-lived excitations that persist and thus build up during each burst. Here, we report on such long-lived effects in Ni and NiO thin film samples that were measured at the European XFEL. We disentangle the long-lived excitations from the initial pump-induced change and perform a detailed modelling-based analysis of how they modify transient X-ray spectra. As a result, we link the long-lived effects in Ni to a local temperature increase, as well as the effects in NiO to excited charge carrier trapping through polaron formation. In addition, we present possible correction methods, as well as discuss ways in which the effects of these long-lived excitations could be minimized for future time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements.

We have studied the nature of optically induced short-range magnetic fluctuations occurring at 10-nm length scale during ultrafast demagnetization in ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers. The time resolved probing of magnetization dynamics was performed with femtosecond soft x-ray pulses at the European x-ray free-electron laser. A transient high -q magnetic scattering accompanying and directly correlated to the destruction of the maze domain network has been observed at picosecond time scale in the wave vector region of 0.2-0.8 nm-1. This high-q scattering has a purely magnetic nature and is ascribed to the optically induced short-range magnetic fluctuations developing in the disturbed but not fully destroyed magnetic domain network. Finally, we have simulated the optically induced response of the domain system using a two-temperature atomistic spin model and have concluded that the reason behind the high-q scattering is the laser-driven heating inducing thermal fluctuations of the domain magnetic structure.

Free-electron lasers provide bright, ultrashort, and monochromatic x-ray pulses, enabling novel spectroscopic measurements not only with femtosecond temporal resolution: The high fluence of their x-ray pulses can also easily enter the regime of the non-linear x-ray–matter interaction. Entering this regime necessitates a rigorous analysis and reliable prediction of the relevant non-linear processes for future experiment designs. Here, we show non-linear changes in the L3-edge absorption of metallic nickel thin films, measured with fluences up to 60 J/cm2. We present a simple but predictive rate model that quantitatively describes spectral changes based on the evolution of electronic populations within the pulse duration. Despite its simplicity, the model reaches good agreement with experimental results over more than three orders of magnitude in fluence, while providing a straightforward understanding of the interplay of physical processes driving the non-linear changes. Our findings provide important insights for the design and evaluation of future high-fluence free-electron laser experiments and contribute to the understanding of non-linear electron dynamics in x-ray absorption processes in solids at the femtosecond timescale.

Resonant absorption of a photon by bound electrons in a solid can promote an electron to another orbital state or transfer it to a neighboring atomic site. Such a transition in a magnetically ordered material could affect the magnetic order. While this process is an obvious road map for optical control of magnetization, experimental demonstration of such a process remains challenging. Exciting a significant fraction of magnetic ions requires a very intense incoming light beam, as orbital resonances are often weak compared to above‐band‐gap excitations. In the latter case, a sizeable reduction of the magnetization occurs as the absorbed energy increases the spin temperature, masking the non‐thermal optical effects. Here, using ultrafast X‐ray spectroscopy, this work is able to resolve changes in the magnetization state induced by resonant absorption of infrared photons in Co‐doped yttrium iron garnet, with negligible thermal effects. This work finds that the optical excitation of the Co ions affects the two distinct magnetic Fe sublattices differently, resulting in a transient non‐collinear magnetic state. The present results indicate that the all‐optical magnetization switching (AOS) most likely occurs due to the creation of a transient, non‐collinear magnetic state followed by coherent spin rotations of the Fe moments.

The photoinduced switching of Fe(II)-based spin-crossover complexes from singlet to quintet takes place at ultrafast time scales. This a priori spin-forbidden transition triggered numerous time-resolved experiments of solvated samples to elucidate the mechanism at play. The involved intermediate states remain uncertain. We apply ultrafast x-ray spectroscopy in molecular films as a method sensitive to spin, electronic, and nuclear degrees of freedom. Combining the progress in molecule synthesis and film growth with the opportunities at x-ray free-electron lasers, we analyze the transient evolution of the Fe L3 fine structure at room temperature. Our measurements and calculations indicate the involvement of an Fe triplet intermediate state. The high-spin state saturates at half of the available molecules, limited by molecule-molecule interaction within the film.

Femtosecond transient soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a very promising technique that can be employed at X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) to investigate out-of-equilibrium dynamics for material and energy research. Here, a dedicated setup for soft X-rays available at the Spectroscopy and Coherent Scattering (SCS) instrument at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (European XFEL) is presented. It consists of a beam-splitting off-axis zone plate (BOZ) used in transmission to create three copies of the incoming beam, which are used to measure the transmitted intensity through the excited and unexcited sample, as well as to monitor the incoming intensity. Since these three intensity signals are detected shot by shot and simultaneously, this setup allows normalized shot-by-shot analysis of the transmission. For photon detection, an imaging detector capable of recording up to 800 images at 4.5 MHz frame rate during the FEL burst is employed, and allows a photon-shot-noise-limited sensitivity to be approached. The setup and its capabilities are reviewed as well as the online and offline analysis tools provided to users.