Ultrafast electron diffraction from transiently aligned asymmetric top molecules: Rotational dynamics and structure retrieval

Ultrafast structural dynamics of UV photoexcited cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene observed with time-resolved electron diffraction

Conjugated diene molecules are highly reactive upon photoexcitation and can relax through multiple reaction channels that depend on the position of the double bonds and the degree of molecular rigidity. Understanding the photoinduced dynamics of these molecules is crucial for establishing general rules governing the relaxation and product formation. Here, we investigate the femtosecond time-resolved photoinduced excited-state structural dynamics of cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene, a large-flexible cyclic conjugated diene molecule, upon excitation with 200 nm using mega-electron-volt ultrafast electron diffraction and trajectory surface hopping dynamics simulations. We tracked the photoinduced structural changes from the Franck-Condon region through the conical intersection seam to the ground state. Our findings revealed a novel primary reaction coordinate involving ring distortion, where the ring stretches along one axis and compresses along the perpendicular axis. The nuclear wavepacket remains compact along this reaction coordinate until it reaches the conical intersection seam, and it rapidly spreads as it approaches the ground state, where multiple products are formed.

Self-Heterodyne Diffractive Imaging of Ultrafast Electron Dynamics Monitored by Single-Electron Pulses

The direct imaging of time-evolving molecular charge densities on atomistic scale and at femtosecond resolution has long been an elusive task. In this theoretical study, we propose a self-heterodyne electron diffraction technique based on single electron pulses. The electron is split into two beams, one passes through the sample and its interference with the second beam produces a heterodyne diffraction signal that images the charge density. Application to probing the ultrafast electronic dynamics in Mg-phthalocyanine demonstrates its potential for imaging chemical dynamics.

Robust Inversion of Time-Resolved Data via Forward-Optimization in a Trajectory Basis

An inversion method for time-resolved data from ultrafast experiments is introduced, based on forward-optimization in a trajectory basis. The method is applied to experimental data from X-ray scattering of the photochemical ring-opening reaction of 1,3-cyclohexadiene and electron diffraction of the photodissociation of CS₂. In each case, inversion yields a model that reproduces the experimental data, identifies the main dynamic motifs, and agrees with independent experimental observations. Notably, the method explicitly accounts for continuity constraints and is robust even for noisy data.