@article{BuechnerdaCruzGroveretal.2022, author = {B{\"u}chner, Robby and da Cruz, Vinicius Vaz and Grover, Nitika and Charisiadis, Asterios and Fondell, Mattis and Haverkamp, Robert and Senge, Mathias O. and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander}, title = {Fundamental electronic changes upon intersystem crossing in large aromatic photosensitizers: free base 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxylatophenyl)porphyrin}, series = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, volume = {24}, journal = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, number = {12}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1463-9076}, doi = {10.1039/d1cp05420a}, pages = {7505 -- 7511}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Free base 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxylatophenyl)porphyrin stands for the class of powerful porphyrin photosensitizers for singlet oxygen generation and light-harvesting. The atomic level selectivity of dynamic UV pump - N K-edge probe X-ray absorption spectroscopy in combination with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) gives direct access to the crucial excited molecular states within the unusual relaxation pathway. The efficient intersystem crossing, that is El-Sayed forbidden and not facilitated by a heavy atom is confirmed to be the result of the long singlet excited state lifetime (Q(x) 4.9 ns) and thermal effects. Overall, the interplay of stabilization by conservation of angular momenta and vibronic relaxation drive the de-excitation in these chromophores.}, language = {en} } @article{DeckerBornRuotsalainenetal.2021, author = {Decker, Regis and Born, Artur and Ruotsalainen, Kari and Bauer, Karl and Haverkamp, Robert and B{\"u}chner, Robby and Pietzsch, Annette and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander}, title = {Spin-lattice angular momentum transfer of localized and valence electrons in the demagnetization transient state of gadolinium}, series = {Applied physics letters}, volume = {119}, journal = {Applied physics letters}, number = {15}, publisher = {AIP Publishing}, address = {Melville}, issn = {0003-6951}, doi = {10.1063/5.0063404}, pages = {5}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The electron-phonon scattering is one of the main microscopic mechanisms responsible for the spin-flip in the transient state of ultrafast demagnetization. Here, we present an experimental determination of the temperature-dependent electron-phonon scattering rate in Gd. Using a static x-ray emission spectroscopy method, where the reduction of the decay peak intensities when increasing the temperature is quantified, we measure independently the electron-phonon scattering rate for the 5d and the 4f electrons. We deduce the temperature dependence of scattering for the 5d electrons, while no effect on the phonon population is observed for the 4f electrons. Our results suggest that the ultrafast magnetization dynamics in Gd is triggered by the spin-flip in the 5d electrons. We also evidence the existence of a temperature threshold, above which spin-flip scattering of the 5d electrons takes place. We deduce that during the transient state of ultrafast demagnetization, the exchange energy between 5d electrons has to be overcome before the microscopic electron-phonon scattering process can occur.}, language = {en} } @article{VazdaCruzBuechnerFondelletal.2022, author = {Vaz da Cruz, Vinicius and B{\"u}chner, Robby and Fondell, Mattis and Pietzsch, Annette and Eckert, Sebastian and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander}, title = {Targeting individual tautomers in equilibrium by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry letters}, volume = {13}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry letters}, number = {10}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1948-7185}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03453}, pages = {2459 -- 2466}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Tautomerism is one of the most important forms of isomerism, owing to the facile interconversion between species and the large differences in chemical properties introduced by the proton transfer connecting the tautomers. Spectroscopic techniques are often used for the characterization of tautomers. In this context, separating the overlapping spectral response of coexisting tautomers is a long-standing challenge in chemistry. Here, we demonstrate that by using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering tuned to the core excited states at the site of proton exchange between tautomers one is able to experimentally disentangle the manifold of valence excited states of each tautomer in a mixture. The technique is applied to the prototypical keto-enol equilibrium of 3-hydroxypyridine in aqueous solution. We detect transitions from the occupied orbitals into the LUMO for each tautomer in solution, which report on intrinsic and hydrogen-bond-induced orbital polarization within the pi and sigma manifolds at the proton-transfer site.}, language = {en} } @article{MascarenhasFondellBuechneretal.2022, author = {Mascarenhas, Eric Johnn and Fondell, Mattis and B{\"u}chner, Robby and Eckert, Sebastian and Vaz da Cruz, Vin{\´i}cius and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander}, title = {Photo-induced ligand substitution of Cr(CO)(6) in 1-pentanol probed by time resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy}, series = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, volume = {24}, journal = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, number = {30}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1463-9076}, doi = {10.1039/d1cp05834g}, pages = {17979 -- 17985}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Cr(CO)(6) was investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The spectral signature at the metal edge provides information about the back-bonding of the metal in this class of complexes. Among the processes it participates in is ligand substitution in which a carbonyl ligand is ejected through excitation to a metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) band. The unsaturated carbonyl Cr(CO)(5) is stabilized by solution media in square pyramidal geometry and further reacts with the solvent. Multi-site-specific probing after photoexcitation was used to investigate the ligand substitution photoreaction process which is a common first step in catalytic processes involving metal carbonyls. The data were analysed with the aid of TD-DFT computations for different models of photoproducts and signatures for ligand rearrangement after substitution were found. The rearrangement was found to occur in about 790 ps in agreement with former studies of the photoreaction.}, language = {en} } @article{BornDeckerHaverkampetal.2021, author = {Born, Artur and Decker, Regis and Haverkamp, Robert and Ruotsalainen, Kari and Bauer, Karl and Pietzsch, Annette and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander and B{\"u}chner, Robby}, title = {Thresholding of the Elliott-Yafet spin-flip scattering in multi-sublattice magnets by the respective exchange energies}, series = {Scientific reports}, volume = {11}, journal = {Scientific reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, address = {Berlin}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-021-81177-9}, pages = {7}, year = {2021}, abstract = {How different microscopic mechanisms of ultrafast spin dynamics coexist and interplay is not only relevant for the development of spintronics but also for the thorough description of physical systems out-of-equilibrium. In pure crystalline ferromagnets, one of the main microscopic mechanism of spin relaxation is the electron-phonon (el-ph) driven spin-flip, or Elliott-Yafet, scattering. Unexpectedly, recent experiments with ferro- and ferrimagnetic alloys have shown different dynamics for the different sublattices. These distinct sublattice dynamics are contradictory to the Elliott-Yafet scenario. In order to rationalize this discrepancy, it has been proposed that the intra- and intersublattice exchange interaction energies must be considered in the microscopic demagnetization mechanism, too. Here, using a temperature-dependent x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) method, we address experimentally the element specific el-ph angular momentum transfer rates, responsible for the spin-flips in the respective (sub)lattices of Fe20Ni80, Fe50Ni50 and pure nickel single crystals. We establish how the deduced rate evolution with the temperature is linked to the exchange coupling constants reported for different alloy stoichiometries and how sublattice exchange energies threshold the related el-ph spin-flip channels. Thus, these results evidence that the Elliott-Yafet spin-flip scattering, thresholded by sublattice exchange energies, is the relevant microscopic process to describe sublattice dynamics in alloys and elemental magnetic systems.}, language = {en} } @article{BuechnerFondellHaverkampetal.2021, author = {B{\"u}chner, Robby and Fondell, Mattis and Haverkamp, Robert and Pietzsch, Annette and Vaz da Cruz, Vin{\´i}cius and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander}, title = {The porphyrin center as a regulator for metal-ligand covalency and pi hybridization in the entire molecule}, series = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : PCCP ; a journal of European Chemical Societies}, volume = {23}, journal = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : PCCP ; a journal of European Chemical Societies}, number = {43}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1463-9076}, doi = {10.1039/d1cp03944j}, pages = {24765 -- 24772}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The central moiety of porphyrins is shown to control the charge state of the inner complex and links it by covalent interaction to the peripheral substituents. This link, which enables the versatile functions of porphyrins, is not picked up in the established, reduced four orbital picture [Gouterman, J. Mol. Spectrosc., 1961, 6, 138]. X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the N K-edge with density functional theory approaches gives access to the full electronic structure, in particular the pi* manifold beyond the Gouterman orbitals. Systematic variation of the central moiety highlights two linked, governing trends: The ionicity of the porphyrin center increases from the aminic N-H to N-Cu to N-Zn to N-Mg to the iminic N:. At the same time covalency with peripheral substituents increases and compensates the buildup of high charge density at the coordinated nitrogen sites.}, language = {en} } @article{PietzschNiskanenVazdaCruzetal.2022, author = {Pietzsch, Annette and Niskanen, Johannes and Vaz da Cruz, Vinicius and B{\"u}chner, Robby and Eckert, Sebastian and Fondell, Mattis and Jay, Raphael Martin and Lu, Xingye and McNally, Daniel and Schmitt, Thorsten and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander}, title = {Cuts through the manifold of molecular H2O potential energy surfaces in liquid water at ambient conditions}, series = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, volume = {119}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, number = {28}, publisher = {National Acad. of Sciences}, address = {Washington, DC}, issn = {1091-6490}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.2118101119}, pages = {6}, year = {2022}, abstract = {The fluctuating hydrogen bridge bonded network of liquid water at ambient conditions entails a varied ensemble of the underlying constituting H2O molecular moieties. This is mirrored in a manifold of the H2O molecular potentials. Subnatural line width resonant inelastic X-ray scattering allowed us to quantify the manifold of molecular potential energy surfaces along the H2O symmetric normal mode and the local asymmetric O-H bond coordinate up to 1 and 1.5 angstrom, respectively. The comparison of the single H2O molecular potentials and spectroscopic signatures with the ambient conditions liquid phase H2O molecular potentials is done on various levels. In the gas phase, first principles, Morse potentials, and stepwise harmonic potential reconstruction have been employed and benchmarked. In the liquid phase the determination of the potential energy manifold along the local asymmetric O-H bond coordinate from resonant inelastic X-ray scattering via the bound state oxygen ls to 4a(1) resonance is treated within these frameworks. The potential energy surface manifold along the symmetric stretch from resonant inelastic X-ray scattering via the oxygen 1 s to 2b(2) resonance is based on stepwise harmonic reconstruction. We find in liquid water at ambient conditions H2O molecular potentials ranging from the weak interaction limit to strongly distorted potentials which are put into perspective to established parameters, i.e., intermolecular O-H, H-H, and O-O correlation lengths from neutron scattering.}, language = {en} } @article{BuechnerFondellMascarenhasetal.2021, author = {B{\"u}chner, Robby and Fondell, Mattis and Mascarenhas, Eric Johnn and Pietzsch, Annette and Vaz da Cruz, Vin{\´i}cius and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander}, title = {How hydrogen bonding amplifies isomeric differences in pyridones toward strong changes in acidity and tautomerism}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : B, Condensed matter, materials, surfaces, interfaces \& biophysical chemistry}, volume = {125}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : B, Condensed matter, materials, surfaces, interfaces \& biophysical chemistry}, number = {9}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1520-6106}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c10873}, pages = {2372 -- 2379}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Steric hindrance of hydration and hydrogen bond enhancement by localized charges have been identified as key factors for the massive chemical differences between the hydroxypyridine/pyridone isomers in aqueous solution. While all isomers occur mainly in the hydroxypyridine form in the gas phase, they differ by more than 3 orders of magnitude both in their acidity and tautomeric equilibrium constants upon hydration. By monitoring the electronic and solvation structures as a function of the protonation state and the O- substitution position on the pyridine ring, the amplification of the isomeric differences in aqueous solution has been investigated. Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) measurements at the N K-edge served as the probe of the chemical state. The combination of molecular dynamics simulations, complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF), and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) spectral calculations contributes to unraveling the principles of tautomerism and acidity in multiple biochemical systems based on tautomerism.}, language = {en} } @article{DeckerBornBuechneretal.2019, author = {Decker, R{\´e}gis and Born, Artur and B{\"u}chner, Robby and Ruotsalainen, Kari and Str{\aa}hlman, Christian and Neppl, Stefan and Haverkamp, Robert and Pietzsch, Annette and F{\"o}hlisch, Alexander}, title = {Measuring the atomic spin-flip scattering rate by x-ray emission spectroscopy}, series = {Scientific reports}, volume = {9}, journal = {Scientific reports}, publisher = {Nature Publ. Group}, address = {London}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-019-45242-8}, pages = {6}, year = {2019}, abstract = {While extensive work has been dedicated to the measurement of the demagnetization time following an ultra-short laser pulse, experimental studies of its underlying microscopic mechanisms are still scarce. In transition metal ferromagnets, one of the main mechanism is the spin-flip of conduction electrons driven by electron-phonon scattering. Here, we present an original experimental method to monitor the electron-phonon mediated spin-flip scattering rate in nickel through the stringent atomic symmetry selection rules of x-ray emission spectroscopy. Increasing the phonon population leads to a waning of the 3d -> 2p(3/2) decay peak intensity, which reflects an increase of the angular momentum transfer scattering rate attributed to spin-flip. We find a spin relaxation time scale in the order of 50 fs in the 3d-band of nickel at room temperature, while consistantly, no such peak evolution is observed for the diamagnetic counterexample copper, using the same method.}, language = {en} }