Ultrafast Imaging and the "Phase Problem" for Inelastic X-Ray Scattering
Abstract
We describe a new method for imaging ultrafast dynamics in condensed matter using inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS). We use the concepts of causality and irreversibility to construct a general solution to the inverse scattering problem (or "phase problem") for inelastic x-ray scattering, which enables direct imaging of dynamics of the electron density with resolutions of ~1 attosecond (10-18 sec) in time and < 1 A in space. This method is not a Fourier transform of IXS data, but a means to impose causality on the data and reconstruct the charge propagator. The method can also be applied to inelastic electron or neutron scattering. We give a general outline of phenomena that can and cannot be studied with this technique, and provide an outlook for the future.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0906.1276,
title = {Ultrafast Imaging and the "Phase Problem" for Inelastic X-Ray Scattering},
author = {P. Abbamonte and G. C. L. Wong and D. Cahill and J. P. Reed and R. H. Coridan and N. W. Schmidt and G. H. Lai and Y. I. Joe and D. Casa},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0906.1276},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
General-interest paper; 19 pages, 3 figures; submission to Advanced Materials