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Bäuml L, Rott F, Schnappinger T, de Vivie-Riedle R. Following the Nonadiabatic Ultrafast Dynamics of Uracil via Simulated X-ray Absorption Spectra. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:9787-9796. [PMID: 37955656 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c06509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The nucleobase uracil exhibits high photostability due to ultrafast relaxation processes mediated by conical intersections (CoIns), where the interplay between nuclear and electron dynamics becomes crucial. In our previous study, we observed seemingly long-lived traces of electronic coherence for the relaxation process through the S2/S1 CoIn by applying our ansatz for coupled nuclear and electron dynamics in molecules (NEMol). In this work, we theoretically investigate how time-dependent transient X-ray absorption spectroscopy can be used to observe this ultrafast dynamics. Therefore, we calculated X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) for the oxygen K-edge, using a multireference protocol in combination with NEMol dynamics. Thus, we have access to both the transient XAS based on the nuclear wavepacket dynamics and the modulation of the signals caused by the electronic coherence induced by the excitation process and the presence of a CoIn seam. In both cases, we were able to qualitatively predict its influence on the resulting XAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Bäuml
- Department of Chemistry, LMU Munich, Munich 81377, Germany
| | - Florian Rott
- Department of Chemistry, LMU Munich, Munich 81377, Germany
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Schnappinger T, Jadoun D, Gudem M, Kowalewski M. Time-resolved X-ray and XUV based spectroscopic methods for nonadiabatic processes in photochemistry. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:12763-12781. [PMID: 36317595 PMCID: PMC9671098 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc04875b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The photochemistry of numerous molecular systems is influenced by conical intersections (CIs). These omnipresent nonadiabatic phenomena provide ultra-fast radiationless relaxation channels by creating degeneracies between electronic states and decide over the final photoproducts. In their presence, the Born-Oppenheimer approximation breaks down, and the timescales of the electron and nuclear dynamics become comparable. Due to the ultra-fast dynamics and the complex interplay between nuclear and electronic degrees of freedom, the direct experimental observation of nonadiabatic processes close to CIs remains challenging. In this article, we give a theoretical perspective on novel spectroscopic techniques capable of observing clear signatures of CIs. We discuss methods that are based on ultra-short laser pulses in the extreme ultraviolet and X-ray regime, as their spectral and temporal resolution allow for resolving the ultra-fast dynamics near CIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Schnappinger
- Department of Physics, Stockholm University, Albanova University Centre, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Deependra Jadoun
- Department of Physics, Stockholm University, Albanova University Centre, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Mahesh Gudem
- Department of Physics, Stockholm University, Albanova University Centre, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Markus Kowalewski
- Department of Physics, Stockholm University, Albanova University Centre, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Kobayashi Y, Leone SR. Characterizing coherences in chemical dynamics with attosecond time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:180901. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0119942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coherence can drive wave-like motion of electrons and nuclei in photoexcited systems, which can yield fast and efficient ways to exert materials’ functionalities beyond the thermodynamic limit. The search for coherent phenomena has been a central topic in chemical physics although their direct characterization is often elusive. Here, we highlight recent advances in time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy (tr-XAS) to investigate coherent phenomena, especially those that utilize the eminent light source of isolated attosecond pulses. The unparalleled time and state sensitivities of tr-XAS in tandem with the unique element specificity render the method suitable to study valence electronic dynamics in a wide variety of materials. The latest studies have demonstrated the capabilities of tr-XAS to characterize coupled electronic–structural coherence in small molecules and coherent light–matter interactions of core-excited excitons in solids. We address current opportunities and challenges in the exploration of coherent phenomena, with potential applications for energy- and bio-related systems, potential crossings, strongly driven solids, and quantum materials. With the ongoing developments in both theory and light sources, tr-XAS holds great promise for revealing the role of coherences in chemical dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kobayashi
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Stephen R. Leone
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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Chang KF, Wang H, Poullain SM, González-Vázquez J, Bañares L, Prendergast D, Neumark DM, Leone SR. Conical intersection and coherent vibrational dynamics in alkyl iodides captured by attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:114304. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0086775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The photodissociation dynamics of alkyl iodides along the C–I bond are captured by attosecond extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) transient absorption spectroscopy employing resonant ∼20 fs UV pump pulses. The methodology of previous experiments on CH3I [Chang et al., J. Chem. Phys. 154, 234301 (2021)] is extended to the investigation of a C–I bond-breaking reaction in the dissociative A-band of C2H5I, i-C3H7I, and t-C4H9I. Probing iodine 4 d core-to-valence transitions in the XUV enables one to map wave packet bifurcation at a conical intersection in the A-band as well as coherent vibrations in the ground state of the parent molecules. Analysis of spectroscopic bifurcation signatures yields conical intersection crossing times of 15 ± 4 fs for CH3I, 14 ± 5 fs for C2H5I, and 24 ± 4 fs for i-C3H7I and t-C4H9I, respectively. Observations of coherent vibrations, resulting from a projection of A-band structural dynamics onto the ground state by resonant impulsive stimulated Raman scattering, indirectly reveal multimode C–I stretch and CCI bend vibrations in the A-bands of C2H5I, i-C3H7I, and t-C4H9I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina F. Chang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Han Wang
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Sonia M. Poullain
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Jesús González-Vázquez
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain
- Institute of Advanced Research on Chemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Bañares
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA-Nanoscience), Cantoblanco 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Prendergast
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Daniel M. Neumark
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Stephen R. Leone
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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Rott F, Reduzzi M, Schnappinger T, Kobayashi Y, Chang KF, Timmers H, Neumark DM, de Vivie-Riedle R, Leone SR. Ultrafast strong-field dissociation of vinyl bromide: An attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and non-adiabatic molecular dynamics study. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2021; 8:034104. [PMID: 34169117 PMCID: PMC8208825 DOI: 10.1063/4.0000102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Attosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and soft x-ray sources provide powerful new tools for studying ultrafast molecular dynamics with atomic, state, and charge specificity. In this report, we employ attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (ATAS) to follow strong-field-initiated dynamics in vinyl bromide. Probing the Br M edge allows one to assess the competing processes in neutral and ionized molecular species. Using ab initio non-adiabatic molecular dynamics, we simulate the neutral and cationic dynamics resulting from the interaction of the molecule with the strong field. Based on the dynamics results, the corresponding time-dependent XUV transient absorption spectra are calculated by applying high-level multi-reference methods. The state-resolved analysis obtained through the simulated dynamics and related spectral contributions enables a detailed and quantitative comparison with the experimental data. The main outcome of the interaction with the strong field is unambiguously the population of the first three cationic states, D 1, D 2, and D 3. The first two show exclusively vibrational dynamics while the D 3 state is characterized by an ultrafast dissociation of the molecule via C-Br bond rupture within 100 fs in 50% of the analyzed trajectories. The combination of the three simulated ionic transient absorption spectra is in excellent agreement with the experimental results. This work establishes ATAS in combination with high-level multi-reference simulations as a spectroscopic technique capable of resolving coupled non-adiabatic electronic-nuclear dynamics in photoexcited molecules with sub-femtosecond resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Rott
- Department of Chemistry, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Maurizio Reduzzi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | | | - Yuki Kobayashi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Kristina F. Chang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Henry Timmers
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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