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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Applying X-ray Imaging Crystal Spectroscopy for Use as a High Temperature Plasma Diagnostic
Published on: August 25, 2016
MHz X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy using an acoustic levitator at the European XFEL
Wonhyuk Jo1, Johannes Möller1, Jörg Hallmann1
1European X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany.
This study introduces MHz X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) for soft-matter dynamics. The contactless method tracks structural and dynamical changes during solvent evaporation in colloidal suspensions.
Area of Science:
- Soft-matter physics
- Materials science
- Crystallization and nucleation theory
Background:
- Dynamical properties of soft-matter systems are crucial for crystallization and nucleation.
- Experimental limitations hinder the study of these dynamics, requiring high spatial and temporal resolution.
- Soft matter dynamics are poorly understood due to experimental constraints.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate MHz X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) for investigating soft-matter dynamics.
- To overcome experimental constraints in studying dynamical properties of soft matter.
- To enable high spatial and temporal resolution measurements of metastable structures and dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MHz X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser.
- Employed a contactless sample holder with an acoustically levitated millimetre-sized liquid droplet.
- Tracked structural evolution with small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamics with time-resolved MHz XPCS during solvent evaporation.
Main Results:
- Successfully captured time-resolved dynamical information of a colloidal suspension during solvent evaporation.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of MHz XPCS with acoustic levitation for contactless measurements.
- Provided insights into structural evolution and dynamics of soft-matter systems under controlled evaporation.
Conclusions:
- MHz XPCS with contactless acoustic levitation offers a novel approach to study soft-matter dynamics.
- This technique opens new avenues for investigating metastable structures and dynamics using X-ray speckle methods.
- The study paves the way for advanced characterization of soft-matter systems, including X-ray speckle visibility spectroscopy and X-ray cross-correlation analysis.
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