The Heisenberg-RIXS instrument at the European XFEL.

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) is an ideal X-ray spectroscopy method to push the combination of energy and time resolutions to the Fourier transform ultimate limit, because it is unaffected by the core-hole lifetime energy broadening. Also, in pump-probe experiments the interaction time is made very short by the same core-hole lifetime. RIXS is very photon hungry so it takes great advantage from high-repetition-rate pulsed X-ray sources like the European XFEL.

Core level photoionization on free sub-10-nm nanoparticles using synchrotron radiation.

A novel instrument is presented, which permits studies on singly charged free nanoparticles in the diameter range from 1 to 30 nm using synchrotron radiation in the soft x-ray regime. It consists of a high pressure nanoparticle source, a high efficiency nanoparticle beam inlet, and an electron time-of-flight spectrometer suitable for probing surface and bulk properties of free, levitated nanoparticles. We show results from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study near the Si L(3,2)-edge on 8.

Isotope-induced partial localization of core electrons in the homonuclear molecule N2.

Because of inversion symmetry and particle exchange, all constituents of homonuclear diatomic molecules are in a quantum mechanically non-local coherent state; this includes the nuclei and deep-lying core electrons. Hence, the molecular photoemission can be regarded as a natural double-slit experiment: coherent electron emission originates from two identical sites, and should give rise to characteristic interference patterns. However, the quantum coherence is obscured if the two possible symmetry states of the electronic wavefunction ('gerade' and 'ungerade') are degenerate; the sum of the two exactly resembles the distinguishable, incoherent emission from two localized core sites.

Energy and angular distributions of electrons emitted by direct double auger decay.

We have observed the direct L(2,3)MMM double Auger transition after photoionization of the 2p shell of argon by angle-resolved electron-electron coincidence spectroscopy. The process is responsible for about 20% of the observed Auger electron intensity. In contrast to the normal Auger lines, the spectra in double Auger decay show a continuous intensity distribution.