Open AccessUltrafast atomic view of laser-induced melting and breathing motion of metallic liquid clusters with MeV ultrafast electron diffraction
Author(s) -
Jun Wu,
Mingjie Tang,
Lingrong Zhao,
Ping Zhu,
Tao Jiang,
Xu Zou,
Liang Hong,
ShengNian Luo,
Dao Xiang,
Jie Zhang
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2111949119
Subject(s) - ultrafast electron diffraction , ultrashort pulse , materials science , metastability , atom (system on chip) , atomic physics , laser , relaxation (psychology) , molecular physics , chemical physics , chemistry , optics , physics , psychology , social psychology , organic chemistry , embedded system , computer science
Significance Intense lasers can be used to drive materials into transient states far from equilibrium. Investigations of such states and processes at the atomic scale are of fundamental significance in understanding a material’s behavior under extreme conditions. Herein, an ultrafast electron diffraction technique is used to track the atomic pathway of the entire melting process of aluminum and reveal a coherent breathing motion of polyhedral clusters in transient liquid aluminum at high temperature and high pressure. The negative expansion behavior of interatomic distances in a superheated liquid state upon heating is observed. These findings provide insight into ultrafast structural transformations and transient atomic dynamics under extreme conditions.