Laue diffraction and time-resolved crystallography: a personal history.

Area of Science:

• Crystallography
• Biophysics
• X-ray Science

Background:

• Laue X-ray diffraction, using polychromatic X-rays, faced challenges for quantitative structure determination.
• Its application declined due to complexities compared to monochromatic diffraction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a historical perspective on Laue X-ray diffraction.
• To highlight its resurgence and application in time-resolved studies of dynamic processes, particularly in biological systems.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing polychromatic X-ray sources, initially storage rings and later hard X-ray free electron lasers.
• Applying pump-probe techniques to achieve high time resolution in crystallographic studies.

Main Results:

• Laue diffraction's time resolution has advanced from minutes to picoseconds and femtoseconds.
• Successful application in studying light-sensitive biological systems and rapid molecular changes.

Conclusions:

• Laue diffraction, enhanced by modern X-ray sources, is a powerful tool for time-resolved crystallography.
• It enables exploration of ultrafast dynamics in biological and chemical systems.