1. |
- Allum, F., et al.
(author)
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A localized view on molecular dissociation via electron-ion partial covariance
- 2022
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In: Communications Chemistry. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3669. ; 5:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inner-shell photoelectron spectroscopy provides an element-specific probe of molecular structure, as core-electron binding energies are sensitive to the chemical environment. Short-wavelength femtosecond light sources, such as Free-Electron Lasers (FELs), even enable time-resolved site-specific investigations of molecular photochemistry. Here, we study the ultraviolet photodissociation of the prototypical chiral molecule 1-iodo-2-methylbutane, probed by extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg (FLASH) through the ultrafast evolution of the iodine 4d binding energy. Methodologically, we employ electron-ion partial covariance imaging as a technique to isolate otherwise elusive features in a two-dimensional photoelectron spectrum arising from different photofragmentation pathways. The experimental and theoretical results for the time-resolved electron spectra of the 4d(3/2) and 4d(5/2) atomic and molecular levels that are disentangled by this method provide a key step towards studying structural and chemical changes from a specific spectator site. Coincidence experiments at free-electron lasers enable time resolved site-specific investigations of molecular photochemistry at high signal rates, but isolating individual dissociation processes still poses a considerable technical challenge. Here, the authors use electron-ion partial covariance imaging to isolate otherwise elusive chemical shifts in UV-induced photofragmentation pathways of the prototypical chiral molecule 1-iodo-2-methylbutane.
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2. |
- Garg, D., et al.
(author)
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Fragmentation Dynamics of Fluorene Explored Using Ultrafast XUV-Vis Pump-Probe Spectroscopy
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Physics. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-424X. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the use of extreme ultraviolet (XUV, 30.3 nm) radiation from the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg (FLASH) and visible (Vis, 405 nm) photons from an optical laser to investigate the relaxation and fragmentation dynamics of fluorene ions. The ultrashort laser pulses allow to resolve the molecular processes occurring on the femtosecond timescales. Fluorene is a prototypical small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Through their infrared emission signature, PAHs have been shown to be ubiquitous in the universe, and they are assumed to play an important role in the chemistry of the interstellar medium. Our experiments track the ionization and dissociative ionization products of fluorene through time-of-flight mass spectrometry and velocity-map imaging. Multiple processes involved in the formation of each of the fragment ions are disentangled through analysis of the ion images. The relaxation lifetimes of the excited fluorene monocation and dication obtained through the fragment formation channels are reported to be in the range of a few tens of femtoseconds to a few picoseconds.
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3. |
- Lee, J. W. L., et al.
(author)
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The kinetic energy of PAH dication and trication dissociation determined by recoil-frame covariance map imaging
- 2022
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In: Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1463-9076 .- 1463-9084. ; 24:38, s. 23096-23105
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We investigated the dissociation of dications and trications of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), fluorene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. PAHs are a family of molecules ubiquitous in space and involved in much of the chemistry of the interstellar medium. In our experiments, ions are formed by interaction with 30.3 nm extreme ultraviolet (XUV) photons, and their velocity map images are recorded using a PImMS2 multi-mass imaging sensor. Application of recoil-frame covariance analysis allows the total kinetic energy release (TKER) associated with multiple fragmentation channels to be determined to high precision, ranging 1.94-2.60 eV and 2.95-5.29 eV for the dications and trications, respectively. Experimental measurements are supported by Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BOMD) simulations.
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4. |
- Lee, J. W.L., et al.
(author)
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Time-resolved relaxation and fragmentation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons investigated in the ultrafast XUV-IR regime
- 2021
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 12:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) play an important role in interstellar chemistry and are subject to high energy photons that can induce excitation, ionization, and fragmentation. Previous studies have demonstrated electronic relaxation of parent PAH monocations over 10-100 femtoseconds as a result of beyond-Born-Oppenheimer coupling between the electronic and nuclear dynamics. Here, we investigate three PAH molecules: fluorene, phenanthrene, and pyrene, using ultrafast XUV and IR laser pulses. Simultaneous measurements of the ion yields, ion momenta, and electron momenta as a function of laser pulse delay allow a detailed insight into the various molecular processes. We report relaxation times for the electronically excited PAH*, PAH(+*) and PAH(2+*) states, and show the time-dependent conversion between fragmentation pathways. Additionally, using recoil-frame covariance analysis between ion images, we demonstrate that the dissociation of the PAH(2+) ions favors reaction pathways involving two-body breakup and/or loss of neutral fragments totaling an even number of carbon atoms. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons play an important role in interstellar chemistry, where interaction with high energy photons can induce ionization and fragmentation reactions. Here the authors, with XUV-IR pump-probe experiments, investigate the ultrafast photoinduced dynamics of fluorene, phenanthrene and pyrene, providing insight into their preferred reaction channels.
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5. |
- Manschwetus, B., et al.
(author)
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Ultrafast ionization and fragmentation dynamics of polycyclic atomatic hydro-carbons by XUV radiation
- 2020
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In: Free Electron Laser. - : IOP Publishing. - 1742-6588. ; 1412
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the interstellar medium polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules (PAH) are exposed to strong ionizing radation leading to complex organic photochemistry. We investigated these ultrafast fragmentation reac-tions after ionization of the PAHs phenanthrene, fluorene and pyrene at a wavelength of 30.3 nm using pump probe spectroscopy at a free electron laser. We observe double ionization and afterwards hydrogen abstraction and acetylene loss with characteristic time scales for the reaction processes below one hundred femtoseconds.
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6. |
- Walmsley, T., et al.
(author)
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Characterizing the multi-dimensional reaction dynamics of dihalomethanes using XUV-induced Coulomb explosion imaging
- 2023
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In: Journal of Chemical Physics. - 0021-9606. ; 159:14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Site-selective probing of iodine 4d orbitals at 13.1 nm was used to characterize the photolysis of CH2I2 and CH2BrI initiated at 202.5 nm. Time-dependent fragment ion momenta were recorded using Coulomb explosion imaging mass spectrometry and used to determine the structural dynamics of the dissociating molecules. Correlations between these fragment momenta, as well as the onset times of electron transfer reactions between them, indicate that each molecule can undergo neutral three-body photolysis. For CH2I2, the structural evolution of the neutral molecule was simultaneously characterized along the C-I and I-C-I coordinates, demonstrating the sensitivity of these measurements to nuclear motion along multiple degrees of freedom.
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7. |
- Ostrom, Quinn T., et al.
(author)
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Glioma risk associated with extent of estimated European genetic ancestry in African Americans and Hispanics
- 2020
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In: International Journal of Cancer. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 146:3, s. 739-748
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Glioma incidence is highest in non-Hispanic Whites, and to date, glioma genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to date have only included European ancestry (EA) populations. African Americans and Hispanics in the US have varying proportions of EA, African (AA) and Native American ancestries (NAA). It is unknown if identified GWAS loci or increased EA is associated with increased glioma risk. We assessed whether EA was associated with glioma in African Americans and Hispanics. Data were obtained for 832 cases and 675 controls from the Glioma International Case-Control Study and GliomaSE Case-Control Study previously estimated to have <80% EA, or self-identify as non-White. We estimated global and local ancestry using fastStructure and RFMix, respectively, using 1,000 genomes project reference populations. Within groups with >= 40% AA (AFR(>= 0.4)), and >= 15% NAA (AMR(>= 0.15)), genome-wide association between local EA and glioma was evaluated using logistic regression conditioned on global EA for all gliomas. We identified two regions (7q21.11, p = 6.36 x 10(-4); 11p11.12, p = 7.0 x 10-4) associated with increased EA, and one associated with decreased EA (20p12.13, p = 0.0026) in AFR(>= 0.4). In addition, we identified a peak at rs1620291 (p = 4.36 x 10(-6)) in 7q21.3. Among AMR(>= 0.15), we found an association between increased EA in one region (12q24.21, p = 8.38 x 10(-4)), and decreased EA in two regions (8q24.21, p = 0. 0010; 20q13.33, p = 6.36 x 10(-4)). No other significant associations were identified. This analysis identified an association between glioma and two regions previously identified in EA populations (8q24.21, 20q13.33) and four novel regions (7q21.11, 11p11.12, 12q24.21 and 20p12.13). The identifications of novel association with EA suggest regions to target for future genetic association studies. What's new? Glioma is rare in non-White populations, and most glioma genome-wide association studies have included only primarily European ancestry populations. Here, the authors assess whether variation in European ancestry is associated with glioma risk in populations with a combination of European, African and Native American ancestry. Based on African American and Hispanic cases from two large glioma case-control studies, this analysis shows that increased European ancestry in admixed populations may be associated with increased glioma risk. The associations between glioma and two chromosomal regions previously identified in European ancestry populations, and four novel regions, may guide future studies.
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