Fresh start for the EASI experiment in Hamburg, as for the first time we chose to mount it horizontally, instead of in an upward facing configuration. Electrons will still be probed under a backward scattering angle of 130° to the beam propagation direction. Therefore, the physics of the photoemission is not changed. However the liquid jet is now directed vertically downward, leading to extra stability in the photoelectron yield.
Drawing of EASI attached to the P04 beamline at DESY in a horizontal configuration.
Drawing of EASI attached to the P04 beamline at DESY in a horizontal configuration.
Dominik controlling data acquisition with EASI in the new orientation.
Dominik controlling data acquisition with EASI in the new orientation.
New PhD Student - July 2025
Nika Iurgenson joined the group as a new PhD student. Her work will be on the electronic structure of optical switches, molecules that isomerize under the influence of visible radiation. This project is part of the EU funded doctoral network LUMIERE (https://lumiere-dn.eu/), coordinated by the Max-Born-Institute in Berlin Adlershof.
Nika in our chemistry lab.
Nika in our chemistry lab.
KyotoU Future Commons featuring Stephan Thürmer - February 2025
Stephan has been featured in a nice booklet published by the Kyoto University, in which 125 of their promising researchers could say a few words about their own work to the broad public. It is an interesting effort on scientific communication. This booklet can be found by clicking here, and Stephan's article is shown in page 34.
This is the picture of Stephan in the booklet, featuring him in his office, the stage for his Igor Pro magic.
This is the picture of Stephan in the booklet, featuring him in his office, the stage for his Igor Pro magic.
Bernd Winter awarded - December 2024
For the invention of liquid jet photoelectron spectroscopy, the Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation 2024 was bestowed to Bernd Winter. He received the prestigious award together with Manfred Faubel from Max-Planck-Institut für Strömungsforschung (now Max-Planck-Institut für Dynamik und Selbstorganisation) in Göttingen. The award was presented in a ceremony framed by the BESSY Users’ Meeting. See here for our press release.
From left to right: Gerard Meijer, Manfred Faubel, Bernd Winter, Franziska Emmerling
Beamtime @ SOLEIL - Pléiades - February 2024
This February we had another beamtime at the beamline Pléiades located in the synchrotron SOLEIL (Paris). We investigated Photoelectron Angular Distributions (PADs) from liquid micojets and flatjets.
Here we can see the circular facade of the laboratory, as it is typical for synchrotron facilities, and its nice surroundings.
Here we can see the circular facade of the laboratory, as it is typical for synchrotron facilities, and its nice surroundings.
Christophe, the famous beamline scientist at the beamline Pléiades, assists Dominik in restarting the experiment after venting the machine.
Christophe, the famous beamline scientist at the beamline Pléiades, assists Dominik in restarting the experiment after venting the machine.
Left: A close-up view of the setup, where the flajet is generated by a glass microchip nozzle and is directed at a catcher. Below the flatjet we see the skimmer through which the photoelectrons enter the spectrometer. Right: Dominik, Bruno and Bernd try to make sense out of the intriguing data.
Left: A close-up view of the setup, where the flajet is generated by a glass microchip nozzle and is directed at a catcher. Below the flatjet we see the skimmer through which the photoelectrons enter the spectrometer. Right: Dominik, Bruno and Bernd try to make sense out of the intriguing data.
Left: Christian carefully adjusts the angle between the flatjet and the light incoming from the beamline. Right: The control panels and acquisition computers at the hutch of the Pléiades beamline during an experiment.
Left: Christian carefully adjusts the angle between the flatjet and the light incoming from the beamline. Right: The control panels and acquisition computers at the hutch of the Pléiades beamline during an experiment.
Bernd and Stephan making sure to enjoy the short moments of good weather having lunch outside.
Bernd and Stephan making sure to enjoy the short moments of good weather having lunch outside.
A picture at the end of the beamtime with all the people who participated. From left to right: Bernd, Christian, Christophe (in a broomstick), Bruno, Marine, Dominik and Stephan, who come from Japan for a visit and for the experiment!
A picture at the end of the beamtime with all the people who participated. From left to right: Bernd, Christian, Christophe (in a broomstick), Bruno, Marine, Dominik and Stephan, who come from Japan for a visit and for the experiment!
Christmas/New year's party - Jan 2024
We had to postpone the Christmas party in our institute due to a wave of Covid infections. What took place instead was a Christmas + New year's party that began with a retrospective and announcements for 2024 from our director, Gerard Meijer.
The moment all the members from the Molecular Physics department gathered to hear the announcements made by Gerard Meijer can be seen on the left. On the right, a close-up photo of him while one of our latest papers is displayed!
The moment all the members from the Molecular Physics department gathered to hear the announcements made by Gerard Meijer can be seen on the left. On the right, a close-up photo of him while one of our latest papers is displayed!
Lab experiments - January 2024
Our friend and collaborator Christian Schewe spent almost two weeks performing experiments in our machine at the FHI, using the He lamp. He likes to study exotic systems such as liquid metal (GaIn and GaInSn alloys) and solutions which solvents aren’t water: acetonitrile, THF and others.
Christian brought his PEEK HPLC pump to avoid exposing our stainless steel pumps to aggressive solutions, or to solvents that don’t go well on water. Here we can see how the inlet filter was after running a ferrocenium tetrafluoroborate solution in acetonitrile.
Christian brought his PEEK HPLC pump to avoid exposing our stainless steel pumps to aggressive solutions, or to solvents that don’t go well on water. Here we can see how the inlet filter was after running a ferrocenium tetrafluoroborate solution in acetonitrile.
And here we can see what was collected in our cryogenic catcher and trap after Christian performed some liquid jet photoelectron spectroscopy of ferrocene and ferrocenium solutions in acetonitrile. It’s hard to say if it’s pretty, gross or even scary to imagine having this inside our vacuum chamber!
And here we can see what was collected in our cryogenic catcher and trap after Christian performed some liquid jet photoelectron spectroscopy of ferrocene and ferrocenium solutions in acetonitrile. It’s hard to say if it’s pretty, gross or even scary to imagine having this inside our vacuum chamber!
