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Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Photoinduced correlations in stochastic dynamics of a solid-state ionic conductor.
Jackson McClellan1,2,3, Alfred Zong4,5,6, Kim H Pham7
1Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Nature Communications
|May 15, 2026
Summary
Ultrafast laser excitation causes stochastic dynamics in ionic conductors. Synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction revealed correlations between laser shots, indicating a 0.4 eV energy barrier for lithium-ion diffusion.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Ultrafast laser pulses control material properties and molecular dynamics.
- Distinguishing intrinsic sample fluctuations from experimental noise is challenging in pump-probe studies.
- Stochastic dynamics in materials are crucial for understanding their behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize stochastic photoinduced dynamics in a solid-state ionic conductor.
- To differentiate intrinsic material fluctuations from apparatus noise.
- To investigate the correlations in nonequilibrium lattice trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Utilized time-resolved X-ray micro-diffraction at a synchrotron.
- Analyzed shot-to-shot fluctuations in the lattice parameter of a single grain.
- Leveraged high photon flux and stability for precise measurements.
Main Results:
- Identified non-independent shot-to-shot fluctuations in photoinduced dynamics.
- Observed correlations between nonequilibrium lattice trajectories following adjacent laser shots.
- Determined a characteristic correlation length of ~1500 shots.
- Calculated an energy barrier of 0.4 ± 0.1 eV for these dynamics.
Conclusions:
- The observed correlations suggest a memory effect in the material's response to photoexcitation.
- The energy barrier is consistent with lithium-ion diffusion activation energy.
- Time-resolved X-ray micro-diffraction is a powerful tool for studying stochastic dynamics in materials.
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