Kilohertz droplet-on-demand serial femtosecond crystallography at the European XFEL station FXE.

X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFELs) allow the collection of high-quality serial femtosecond crystallography data. The next generation of megahertz superconducting FELs promises to drastically reduce data collection times, enabling the capture of more structures with higher signal-to-noise ratios and facilitating more complex experiments. Currently, gas dynamic virtual nozzles (GDVNs) stand as the sole delivery method capable of best utilizing the repetition rate of megahertz sources for crystallography. However, their substantial sample consumption renders their use impractical for many protein targets in serial crystallography experiments. Here, we present a novel application of a droplet-on-demand injection method, which allowed operation at 47 kHz at the European XFEL (EuXFEL) by tailoring a multi-droplet injection scheme for each macro-pulse. We demonstrate a collection rate of 150 000 indexed patterns per hour. We show that the performance and effective data collection rate are comparable to GDVN, with a sample consumption reduction of two orders of magnitude. We present lysozyme crystallographic data using the Large Pixel Detector at the femtosecond x-ray experiment endstation. Significant improvement of the crystallographic statistics was made by correcting for a systematic drift of the photon energy in the EuXFEL macro-pulse train, which was characterized from indexing the individual frames in the pulse train. This is the highest resolution protein structure collected and reported at the EuXFEL at 1.38 Å resolution.

Nonadiabatic Charge Transfer within Photoexcited Nickel Porphyrins.

Metalloporphyrins with open d-shell ions can drive biochemical energy cycles. However, their utilization in photoconversion is hampered by rapid deactivation. Mapping the relaxation pathways is essential for elaborating strategies that can favorably alter the charge dynamics through chemical design and photoexcitation conditions. Here, we combine transient optical absorption spectroscopy and transient X-ray emission spectroscopy with femtosecond resolution to probe directly the coupled electronic and spin dynamics within a photoexcited nickel porphyrin in solution. Measurements and calculations reveal that a state with charge-transfer character mediates the formation of the thermalized excited state, thereby advancing the description of the photocycle for this important representative molecule. More generally, establishing that intramolecular charge-transfer steps play a role in the photoinduced dynamics of metalloporphyrins with open d-shell sets a conceptual ground for their development as building blocks capable of boosting nonadiabatic photoconversion in functional architectures through "hot" charge transfer down to the attosecond time scale.

Watching Excited State Dynamics with Optical and X-ray Probes: The Excited State Dynamics of Aquocobalamin and Hydroxocobalamin.

Femtosecond time-resolved X-ray absorption (XANES) at the Co K-edge, X-ray emission (XES) in the Co Kß and valence-to-core regions, and broadband UV-vis transient absorption are combined to probe the femtosecond to picosecond sequential atomic and electronic dynamics following photoexcitation of two vitamin B12 compounds, hydroxocobalamin and aquocobalamin. Polarized XANES difference spectra allow identification of sequential structural evolution involving first the equatorial and then the axial ligands, with the latter showing rapid coherent bond elongation to the outer turning point of the excited state potential followed by recoil to a relaxed excited state structure. Time-resolved XES, especially in the valence-to-core region, along with polarized optical transient absorption suggests that the recoil results in the formation of a metal-centered excited state with a lifetime of 2-5 ps. This combination of methods provides a uniquely powerful tool to probe the electronic and structural dynamics of photoactive transition-metal complexes and will be applicable to a wide variety of systems.

Ultrafast Jahn-Teller Photoswitching in Cobalt Single-Ion Magnets.

Single-ion magnets (SIMs) constitute the ultimate size limit in the quest for miniaturizing magnetic materials. Several bottlenecks currently hindering breakthroughs in quantum information and communication technologies could be alleviated by new generations of SIMs displaying multifunctionality. Here, ultrafast optical absorption spectroscopy and X-ray emission spectroscopy are employed to track the photoinduced spin-state switching of the prototypical complex [Co(terpy)2 ]2+ (terpy = 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine) in solution phase. The combined measurements and their analysis supported by density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent-DFT (TD-DFT) and multireference quantum chemistry calculations reveal that the complex undergoes a spin-state transition from a tetragonally elongated doublet state to a tetragonally compressed quartet state on the femtosecond timescale, i.e., it sustains ultrafast Jahn-Teller (JT) photoswitching between two different spin multiplicities. Adding new Co-based complexes as possible contenders in the search for JT photoswitching SIMs will greatly widen the possibilities for implementing magnetic multifunctionality and eventually controlling ultrafast magnetization with optical photons.

A sensitive high repetition rate arrival time monitor for X-ray free electron lasers.

X-ray free-electron laser sources enable time-resolved X-ray studies with unmatched temporal resolution. To fully exploit ultrashort X-ray pulses, timing tools are essential. However, new high repetition rate X-ray facilities present challenges for currently used timing tool schemes. Here we address this issue by demonstrating a sensitive timing tool scheme to enhance experimental time resolution in pump-probe experiments at very high pulse repetition rates. Our method employs a self-referenced detection scheme using a time-sheared chirped optical pulse traversing an X-ray stimulated diamond plate. By formulating an effective medium theory, we confirm subtle refractive index changes, induced by sub-milli-Joule intense X-ray pulses, that are measured in our experiment. The system utilizes a Common-Path-Interferometer to detect X-ray-induced phase shifts of the optical probe pulse transmitted through the diamond sample. Owing to the thermal stability of diamond, our approach is well-suited for MHz pulse repetition rates in superconducting linear accelerator-based free-electron lasers.

Ultrafast Energy Transfer from Photoexcited Tryptophan to the Haem in Cytochrome c.

We report femtosecond Fe K-edge absorption (XAS) and nonresonant X-ray emission (XES) spectra of ferric cytochrome C (Cyt c) upon excitation of the haem (>300 nm) or mixed excitation of the haem and tryptophan (<300 nm). The XAS and XES transients obtained in both excitation energy ranges show no evidence for electron transfer processes between photoexcited tryptophan (Trp) and the haem, but rather an ultrafast energy transfer, in agreement with previous ultrafast optical fluorescence and transient absorption studies. The reported (J. Phys. Chem. B 2011, 115 (46), 13723-13730) decay times of Trp fluorescence in ferrous (∼350 fs) and ferric (∼700 fs) Cyt c are among the shortest ever reported for Trp in a protein. The observed time scales cannot be rationalized in terms of Förster or Dexter energy transfer mechanisms and call for a more thorough theoretical investigation.

Spin cascade and doming in ferric hemes: Femtosecond X-ray absorption and X-ray emission studies.

The structure-function relationship is at the heart of biology, and major protein deformations are correlated to specific functions. For ferrous heme proteins, doming is associated with the respiratory function in hemoglobin and myoglobins. Cytochrome c (Cyt c) has evolved to become an important electron-transfer protein in humans. In its ferrous form, it undergoes ligand release and doming upon photoexcitation, but its ferric form does not release the distal ligand, while the return to the ground state has been attributed to thermal relaxation. Here, by combining femtosecond Fe Kα and Kß X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) with Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), we demonstrate that the photocycle of ferric Cyt c is entirely due to a cascade among excited spin states of the iron ion, causing the ferric heme to undergo doming, which we identify. We also argue that this pattern is common to a wide diversity of ferric heme proteins, raising the question of the biological relevance of doming in such proteins.

Exploring the light-induced dynamics in solvated metallogrid complexes with femtosecond pulses across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Oligonuclear complexes of d4-d7 transition metal ion centers that undergo spin-switching have long been developed for their practical role in molecular electronics. Recently, they also have appeared as promising photochemical reactants demonstrating improved stability. However, the lack of knowledge about their photophysical properties in the solution phase compared to mononuclear complexes is currently hampering their inclusion into advanced light-driven reactions. In the present study, the ultrafast photoinduced dynamics in a solvated [2 × 2] iron(II) metallogrid complex are characterized by combining measurements with transient optical-infrared absorption and x-ray emission spectroscopy on the femtosecond time scale. The analysis is supported by density functional theory calculations. The photocycle can be described in terms of intra-site transitions, where the FeII centers in the low-spin state are independently photoexcited. The Franck-Condon state decays via the formation of a vibrationally hot high-spin (HS) state that displays coherent behavior within a few picoseconds and thermalizes within tens of picoseconds to yield a metastable HS state living for several hundreds of nanoseconds. Systematic comparison with the closely related mononuclear complex [Fe(terpy)2]2+ reveals that nuclearity has a profound impact on the photoinduced dynamics. More generally, this work provides guidelines for expanding the integration of oligonuclear complexes into new photoconversion schemes that may be triggered by ultrafast spin-switching.

Revealing Hot and Long-Lived Metastable Spin States in the Photoinduced Switching of Solvated Metallogrid Complexes with Femtosecond Optical and X-ray Spectroscopies.

An atomistic understanding of the photoinduced spin-state switching (PSS) within polynuclear systems of d4-d7 transition metal ion complexes is required for their rational integration into light-driven reactions of chemical and biological interest. However, in contrast to mononuclear systems, the multidimensional dynamics of the PSS in solvated molecular arrays have not yet been elucidated due to the expected complications associated with the connectivity between the metal centers and the strong interactions with the surroundings. In this work, the PSS in a solvated triiron(II) metallogrid complex is characterized using transient optical absorption and X-ray emission spectroscopies on the femtosecond time scale. The complementary measurements reveal the photoinduced creation of energy-rich (hot) and long-lived quintet states, whose dynamics differ critically from their mononuclear congeners. This finding opens major prospects for developing novel schemes in solution-phase spin chemistry that are driven by the dynamic PSS process in compact oligometallic arrays.

Scientific instrument Femtosecond X-ray Experiments (FXE): instrumentation and baseline experimental capabilities.

The European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (EuXFEL) delivers extremely intense (>1012 photons pulse-1 and up to 27000 pulses s-1), ultrashort (<100 fs) and transversely coherent X-ray radiation, at a repetition rate of up to 4.5 MHz. Its unique X-ray beam parameters enable novel and groundbreaking experiments in ultrafast photochemistry and material sciences at the Femtosecond X-ray Experiments (FXE) scientific instrument. This paper provides an overview of the currently implemented experimental baseline instrumentation and its performance during the commissioning phase, and a preview of planned improvements. FXE's versatile instrumentation combines the simultaneous application of forward X-ray scattering and X-ray spectroscopy techniques with femtosecond time resolution. These methods will eventually permit exploitation of wide-angle X-ray scattering studies and X-ray emission spectroscopy, along with X-ray absorption spectroscopy, including resonant inelastic X-ray scattering and X-ray Raman scattering. A suite of ultrafast optical lasers throughout the UV-visible and near-IR ranges (extending up to mid-IR in the near future) with pulse length down to 15 fs, synchronized to the X-ray source, serve to initiate dynamic changes in the sample. Time-delayed hard X-ray pulses in the 5-20 keV range are used to probe the ensuing dynamic processes using the suite of X-ray probe tools. FXE is equipped with a primary monochromator, a primary and secondary single-shot spectrometer, and a timing tool to correct the residual timing jitter between laser and X-ray pulses.

Alignment of the aberration-free XUV Raman spectrometer at FLASH.

An extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) double-stage Raman spectrometer is permanently installed as an experimental end-station at the PG1 beamline of the soft X-ray/XUV free-electron laser in Hamburg, FLASH. The monochromator stages are designed according to the Czerny-Turner optical scheme, adapted for the XUV photon energy range, with optical elements installed at grazing-incidence angles. Such an optical scheme along with the usage of off-axis parabolic mirrors for light collimation and focusing allows for aberration-free spectral imaging on the optical axis. Combining the two monochromators in additive dispersion mode allows for reaching high resolution and superior stray light rejection, but puts high demands on the quality of the optical alignment. In order to align the instrument with the highest precision and to quantitatively characterize the instrument performance and thus the quality of the alignment, optical laser interferometry, Hartmann-Shack wavefront-sensing measurements as well as off-line soft X-ray measurements and extensive optical simulations were conducted. In this paper the concept of the alignment scheme and the procedure of the internal optical alignment are presented. Furthermore, results on the imaging quality and resolution of the first monochromator stage are shown.

Structural dynamics upon photoexcitation-induced charge transfer in a dicopper(i)-disulfide complex.

The structural dynamics of charge-transfer states of nitrogen-ligated copper complexes has been extensively investigated in recent years following the development of pump-probe X-ray techniques. In this study we extend this approach towards copper complexes with sulfur coordination and investigate the influence of charge transfer states on the structure of a dicopper(i) complex with coordination by bridging disulfide ligands and additionally tetramethylguanidine units [CuI2(NSSN)2]2+. In order to directly observe and refine the photoinduced structural changes in the solvated complex we applied picosecond pump-probe X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). Additionally, the ultrafast evolution of the electronic excited states was monitored by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in the UV-Vis probe range. DFT calculations were used to predict molecular geometries and electronic structures of the ground and metal-to-ligand charge transfer states with singlet and triplet spin multiplicities, i.e. S0, 1MLCT and 3MLCT, respectively. Combining these techniques we elucidate the electronic and structural dynamics of the solvated complex upon photoexcitation to the MLCT states. In particular, femtosecond optical transient spectroscopy reveals three distinct timescales of 650 fs, 10 ps and >100 ps, which were assigned as internal conversion to the ground state (Sn → S0), intersystem crossing 1MLCT → 3MLCT, and subsequent relaxation of the triplet to the ground state, respectively. Experimental data collected using both X-ray techniques are in agreement with the DFT-predicted structure for the triplet state, where coordination bond lengths change and one of the S-S bridges is cleaved, causing the movement of two halves of the molecule relative to each other. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy resolves changes in Cu-ligand bond lengths with precision on the order of 0.01 Å, whereas WAXS is sensitive to changes in the global shape related to relative movement of parts of the molecule. The results presented herein widen the knowledge on the electronic and structural dynamics of photoexcited copper-sulfur complexes and demonstrate the potential of combining the pump-probe X-ray absorption and scattering for studies on photoinduced structural dynamics in copper-based coordination complexes.