X-ray spectroscopy and microscopy methods in fundamental and applied sciences
- Development of laboratory X-ray spectroscopy setups
- In-situ/time-resolved experiments to determine the electron dynamics of atoms and molecules.
- Investigation of fundamental and nonlinear X-ray interaction with XFELs.
- Imaging of biomedical and environmental materials using tomography and microscopy techniques.
Since 2019, the Department of Applied Spectroscopy has been established, which explores properties of X-rays to applied and fundamental research. Particularly, research focuses on studying processes occurring in biological systems at the cellular and molecular level using synchrotron facilities, free electron lasers and classical X-ray sources. Further, X-ray research is explored to real-time determination of electron dynamics and electronic structure of atoms and molecules in energy related materials. Fundamental studies are oriented towards investigation of X-ray interactions with matter and studying multiple ionization processes with the use of X-ray laser pulses. Large part of X-ray research is devoted to development of the laboratory setups that allow simultaneous application of XAS (X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy) and XES (X-ray Emission Spectroscopy) techniques for electronic structure determination of studied material. The setup is designed in Von Hamos geometry. It is worth to mention that laboratory setup offers XAS/XES measurements on liquid-jet samples as the only one in Poland.
Research in Department of Applied Spectroscopy is further focused on exploration and application of X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFEL) to study time-resolved phenomena in biological and chemical systems as well as to investigate fundamental mechanisms driving X-ray interaction with matter. Department takes part in a world-efforts on developing the diagnostics methods dedicated to femtosecond X-ray pulse measurements and takes part in development of techniques allowing for single- and shot-to-shot X-ray spectroscopic measurements. Department of Applied Spectroscopy exploited the first available X-ray Free Electron Lasers world-wide: Linac Coherent Light Source in US and SACLA facility in Japan. Since 2018, Scientists from Department explores newly opened European XFEL laser facilities and has contributed to the success of the first experiment executed at SwissFEL X-ray Laser at Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland. Department takes also part in research and technique developments at FXE station of European XFEL in Hamburg, Germany, collaborating for example on the X-ray diagnostic instrument dedicated to single-shot X-ray energy distribution measurements.
In general, our basic research is complemented with X-ray microscopy studies and methods using ion beams from a 2.5 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator for spatial imaging of biological and environmental materials, determining their elemental and chemical compositions. In addition we perform experiments with the use of computed microtomography including phase contrast tomography allowing 3D imaging of low contrast objects.