科学家利用欧洲XFEL设施产生的超快X射线，观察到分子吸收光后在皮秒级时间尺度内能量转化的过程[1]。研究团队采用时间分辨X射线光电子谱（tr-XPS）技术，追踪了3-氟吡啶分子中不同原子的变化，揭示了能量在分子内的传递和重新分配规律[1]。
这项研究的关键发现在于，分子内不同原子位点提供了不同的信息[1]。具体而言，氮原子反映的是电荷重新分布和结构变化，而氟原子则反映了分子振动弛豫的过程[1]。研究员Antonio Picón表示："我们现在看到，并非每个原子位点都在X射线脉冲捕捉的信号中讲述相同的故事"[1]。这项研究成果于2026年7月29日发表在《美国化学学会杂志》上[1]。
Scientists have used ultrafast X-rays generated by the European XFEL facility to observe how molecules transform energy within trillionths of a second after absorbing light.[1] The research employed time-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (tr-XPS) technology to track changes in individual atoms within 3-fluoropyridine molecules, revealing how energy is transferred and redistributed across the molecular structure.[1] This breakthrough provides a new window into understanding light-driven chemical processes at the atomic scale.
The study tracked different atomic sites within the 3-fluoropyridine molecule, which contains nitrogen and fluorine atoms, using the Small Quantum Systems (SQS) instrument at the facility.[1] The findings demonstrated that different atomic locations tell distinct stories in the signals captured from the X-ray pulses: nitrogen atoms reflected charge redistribution and structural changes, while fluorine atoms revealed molecular vibration relaxation.[1] As Antonio Picón from ICMM-CSIC noted, "We can now see that not every atomic site tells the same story in the signals we capture from our X-ray pulses."[1] The research was published on July 29, 2026, in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.[1]