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A new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.

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Main Author: Smit, Albert Bart
Other Authors: Schwoerer, Heinrich
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2015
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access_status_str Open Access
author Smit, Albert Bart
author2 Schwoerer, Heinrich
author_browse Schwoerer, Heinrich
Smit, Albert Bart
author_facet Schwoerer, Heinrich
Smit, Albert Bart
author_sort Smit, Albert Bart
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96015
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:47:10.728Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2015
publishDateRange 2015
publishDateSort 2015
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
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source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96015 A new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures Smit, Albert Bart Schwoerer, Heinrich Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Physics. Ultrafast electron diffraction Femtosecond lasers Structural dynamics Electron pulse propagation Dissertations -- Physics Theses -- Physics UCTD Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis, a femtosecond electron diffraction (FED) set-up that is capable of investigating the photo-induced switching of Cu(DCNQI)2 from being an insulator to being a conductor is presented. Movies of atomic structural changes with temporal resolution within the typical photo-switching transition timescales (sub-picoseconds) are obtainable with this set-up by employing a femtosecond laser. The experimental technique and the design of a crucial instrument of the machine, the electron gun, are extensively described and characterised both numerically and experimentally. The interest in observing atomic structural changes of Cu(DCNQI)2 in real time is because of the rich variety of the radical salts available that show alloy-specific Charge Density Wave (CDW) transitions. Valuable insights about the driving mechanisms behind these structural changes that are responsible for a change in conductivity are obtainable, as well as the relation between crystal alloys and their transition characteristics. Electron diffraction patterns of crystals in their metallic phase (room temperature) are shown in this thesis, but diffraction patterns of cryo-cooled Cu(DCNQI)2 in its insulating phase are still to be acquired. The temporal resolution of the atomic movie can be improved by recompression of electron pulses that are debunched due to Coulomb repulsion and electron energy spread within a pulse. Numerical and preliminary experimental results presented in this work expose the potential of a simple compression technique. In this way, more electrons in a single electron pulse can be afforded which allows to perform experiments at shorter integration time or lower repetition rate. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word ’n femtosekonde elektron diffraksie opstelling aangebied wat daartoe in staat is om die foto-geïnduseerde omskakeling in Cu(DCNQI)2 van nie-geleier tot geleier te ondersoek. Deur gebruik te maak van ’n femtosekonde laser in hierdie opstelling, is ’rolprente’ van strukturele veranderinge op atoomskaal met ’n tyd resolusie beter as die tipiese foto-omskakelings tydskaal (sub-pikosekonde) verkrygbaar. Die eksperimentele tegniek en die ontwerp van ’n noodsaaklike instrument van die masjien, die elektron geweer, word breedvoerig beskryf en numeries en eksperimenteel gekenmerk. Die belangstelling om strukturele veranderinge in Cu(DCNQI)2 op atoom skaal in reële tyd waar te kan neem is as gevolg van die ryke verskeidenheid van radikale soute, wat allooispesifieke ladings digtheid golf (CDW) oorgange toon, wat beskikbaar is. Waardevolle insigte oor die meganismes wat hierdie strukturele veranderinge wat ’n verandering in geleiding veroorsaak dryf is verkrygbaar, sowel as die verwantskap tussen die kristal allooi en die oorgang kenmerke. Diffraksie patrone van kristalle in die metaalagtige fase (kamer temperatuur) word in hierdie tesis getoon, maar diffraksie patrone van cryo-verkoelde Cu(DCNQI)2 in die niegeleier fase moet nog verkry word. Die tyd resolusie van die atomiese rolprent kan verbeter word deur die elektron puls — wat deur Coulomb afstoting en elektron energie spreiding versprei is — weer saam te pers. Numeriese en voorlopige eksperimentele resultate toon die potensiaal van ’n eenvoudige kompressie tegniek. Hierdeur kan meer elektrone in ’n elektron puls gegun word en so die integrasie tyd of die herhalingstempo van die eksperimente verkort kan word. 2015-01-13T11:49:33Z 2015-01-13T11:49:33Z 2014-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/96015 en_ZA Stellenbosch University x, 73 p. : col. ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Ultrafast electron diffraction
Femtosecond lasers
Structural dynamics
Electron pulse propagation
Dissertations -- Physics
Theses -- Physics
UCTD
Smit, Albert Bart
A new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures
title A new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures
title_full A new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures
title_fullStr A new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures
title_full_unstemmed A new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures
title_short A new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures
title_sort new femtosecond electron diffractometer for structural dynamics experiments at cryogenic temperatures
topic Ultrafast electron diffraction
Femtosecond lasers
Structural dynamics
Electron pulse propagation
Dissertations -- Physics
Theses -- Physics
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/96015
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AT smitalbertbart newfemtosecondelectrondiffractometerforstructuraldynamicsexperimentsatcryogenictemperatures