Energy and Time Distribution of Photoelectrons Released in Water under Ultra-Short X-Ray Pulse Irradiation

W. Błachucki Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-342 Kraków, Poland

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In the probe-before-destroy methodology, developed with the advent of X-ray free-electron lasers, the investigated system is probed with an ultra-short (femtosecond) X-ray pulse within time shorter than that the X-ray-induced damage needs to propagate. Radiation damage is typically considered in terms of the Coulomb explosion which needs about 50 fs to induce observable effects in the material structure. It has been, however, shown that the much faster electronic structure change has also a significant influence on the X-ray emission spectroscopy data and may alter the X-ray diffraction patterns. This work reports on energy and time distribution of photoelectrons induced in water by an X-ray pulse with properties typical for an X-ray free-electron laser operated in the intensity regime below the sequential photoionization regime. The electron flux was simulated on the basis of a kinetic model and was found to be significant over the course of the X-ray pulse duration. The presented findings call for consideration of the X-ray-induced electrons in studies on solutions and samples embedded in matrices.

DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.137.13 topics: X-ray free electron laser, X-ray induced damage