Mainz 2026 – scientific programme

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MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik

MO 23: Contributions to SYLC I

MO 23.2: Talk

Thursday, March 5, 2026, 11:30–11:45, P 110

Investigating transient localized charges in small chiral molecules with free-electron lasers — •Markus Ilchen on behalf of a large collaboration — University of Hamburg, Germany — Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany — European XFEL, Schenefeld, Germany

Chirality, the inherent "handedness" of many molecular structures, is a cornerstone of biological processes, influencing and steering interactions at the molecular level as well as shaping a broad variety of the physical and chemical properties of matter. The technological evolution of free-electron lasers will be presented in terms of polarization control and high-power attosecond pulse generation in the soft X-ray regime, which enables them to create and explore transiently chiral systems with localized charges at the onset of structural dynamics. This opens the new field of site-specific investigations of building blocks of life at the onset of dynamics outside of the nucleus.

Keywords: Chirality; XFELs; Electron spectroscopy; Ultrafast; Attosecond