GoKawiilPAL-XFEL study maps ultrafast atomic motions during azobenzene light-switching
Researchers used time-resolved X-ray liquidography at South Korea's PAL-XFEL free-electron laser facility to track the structural changes azobenzene molecules undergo when switched from trans to cis form by a laser pulse. The experiment combined a 400 nm pump laser with X-ray probe pulses to capture molecular motion with a measured time resolution of about 169 femtoseconds, using a single-pass capillary jet of the dissolved sample rather than a recirculated solution.
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Azobenzene is a widely studied molecular switch used in materials and drug-delivery research, and understanding its femtosecond-scale isomerization pathway could help refine how such light-responsive molecules are designed. The technique demonstrated here shows how X-ray free-electron lasers can resolve fine details of ultrafast chemical reactions in solution, which may prove useful for studying other photoswitchable or light-sensitive molecules.
- Experiment conducted at PAL-XFEL's XSS beamline using a laser-pump, X-ray-probe method.
- Time resolution of the measurement was determined to be 169 ± 5 femtoseconds.
- Sample was a single-pass flow of trans-azobenzene in methanol through a capillary jet, avoiding repeated laser exposure.
Source: nature.com — Kim, 2026-09-30
Published there as: “X-ray liquidography decodes complex motions in azobenzene isomerization”
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