Controlled Molecule Imaging
Unraveling the Structure‑Function Relationship in the Molecular Sciences
We develop innovative methods to obtain full control over large molecules and nanoparticles. These methods and the created controlled samples are exploited in fundamental physics and chemistry studies to unravel the underlying mechanisms of chemistry and biology by watching molecules at work.
Highlights
Breakthrough in laser-alignment for macromolecular single-particle imaging
10 April 2025
Single-particle diffractive imaging (SPI) using X-ray free-electron lasers allows researchers to reconstruct the structure of nanoparticles and biomolecules. However, the technique often requires imaging up to several billion nanoparticles to produce the image and imposes limitations on its clarity and sharpness. Researchers at the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science at DESY, together with international colleagues, recently demonstrated that laser-induced alignment can indeed be achieved to significantly improve molecular imaging techniques. This geometric confinement of the molecules in the x-ray-imaging experiment will greatly facilitate the recovery of the molecular orientation and, therefore, the structure retrieval. It thus overcomes a significant challenge in single-particle diffractive imaging. This novel development further paves the way for solving the three-dimensional structures of proteins and other macromolecules using SPI.
Thermal-energy-dynamics proposal paper selected as HOT PCCP article
09 January 2024
Our article "Unraveling the ultrafast dynamics of thermal-energy chemical reactions" by Matthew and Jochen was selected as 2023 HOT PCCP article by the editors of the journal Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. of the Royal Society of Chemistry due to due to its strong readership feedback.