XDL2011 Workshop 6
Frontier Science with X-ray Correlation Spectroscopies using Continuous Sources
Wednesday, June 29th - Thursday, June 30th, 2011
Organizers: Mark Sutton (McGill University), Simon Mochrie (Yale), & Arthur Woll (Cornell University) Workshop Agenda (html)
Workshop Poster (pdf)
Purpose: Future Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) and Ultimate Storage Ring (USR) x-ray sources will be able to deliver coherent hard x-ray beams that are hundreds of time more intense than at most existing storage ring x-ray sources. These intense beams will enable novel ways of probing structural dynamics in matter using correlation spectroscopy (XPCS). The workshop will focus on indentifying opportunities and exploring high-impact experiments. Description: Thanks to 3rd generation sources, XPCS has been increasingly demonstrated as a unique method for obtaining fundamental thermodynamic information - fluctuations - in a wide variety of materials systems. A recent review [1] illustrates the breadth of recent work, including continuous phase transitions [2], glass dynamics [3] antiferromagnetism [4], polymer fluctuations [5], capillary waves [6], and liquid crystals [7]. On the other hand, a compelling case for the need for new sources has recently been made in the conceptual design report for the Coherent Hard X-ray Beamline (CHX) at NSLS-II. The report lists several "very difficult or impossible to measure" classes of phenomena that constitute high priority areas of future study using XPCS, ranging from glassy materials in and out of equilibrium, biological systems, and dynamics at fluid surfaces and interfaces. There is benefit to broadening awareness of current and future XPCS capabilities among a wider scientific community. This involves, in part, identification of new and high impact science enabled by next generation sources utilizing XPCS. This workshop will seek to address these goals by highlighting state-of-the art XPCS experiments as well as those areas of scientific inquiry at the boundary of other techniques, such as quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS), Neutron Spin Echo (NSE), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The workshop will involve speakers and participants representing scientific areas, such as soft and hard condensed matter, surface science, and biology, in which XPCS has and is expected to have the most impact. A principal goal of the workshop will be to discuss science that would be enabled by ERL and USR sources. Workshop contributions: Presentations will focus on the issues of using coherent hard X-ray beams, and on the advantages and disadvantages of ERL and USR hard X-ray sources, for such experiments. Method: The workshop will occur at Cornell's Robert Purcell Center on June 29-30, 2011 and is open to anyone who may be interested. The workshop will start with a short overview of ERL and USR specifications and capabilities for frontier science with nanometer hard x-ray beams (see accompanying attachment for some ERL/USR background). The program, outlined below, will then continue with a core group of invited world-leaders to give short talks and lead the discussion in the relevant science areas. In order to allow time for discussion after each talk, speakers are asked to rigorously adhere to the 20 minute time limit. There will be ample additional time for open discussion and poster sessions. Workshop participants are especially encouraged to be inventive and explore unorthodox ideas. Poster Session: There will be space to put up poster of up to 4'(height) x 6'(width) [1.2 x 1.8 meters]. If you plan to have a poster, please submit a ½ page abstract to Laura Houghton at lab49@cornell.edu and she will try to compile them into the program. There is a specific poster session time shown in the program, but they can remain up for the entire duration of the workshop. Workshop Results: Our goal is to communicate the possibilities for science with an ERL or USR, as well as with other sources, and engage the community in developing ideas for the science case. Imaginative thinking will be required -- that's why we are assembling this workshop group! Documenting the results of the workshop is essential. We hope to explore compelling science that is uniquely enabled by an ERL or USR. Accordingly, each invited participant will be asked to present at least one novel experiment of interest (described by a 1-3 paragraphs of text, an appropriate graphic, and relevant references) that would be very difficult to perform without the capabilities of an ERL or USR. Time will be provided towards the end of the workshop to summarize results and conclusions. Of particular importance is the group discussion at the end of the meeting. It is therefore very important that all invited workshop attendees stay through to the end of the workshop. It is in this period that our discussion leaders will try to pull all the good ideas generated into a summary and we need your very active participation to do this well. As a motivator to stay through to the end and to further the development of "community" for this brief several day period, we have arranged a series of excursions. Depending on the workshop these include, for example, Cayuga Lake Boat dinner cruises, local winery tours, visits to Ithaca's local spectacular gorge parks, etc. References:
1] Mark Sutton; C.R. Physique 9, 657 (2008)
2] S. Brauer, et al.; Phys Rev Lett 74, 2010 (1995)
3] P. Wochner, et al.; P Natl Acad Sci, USA 106, 11511 (2009)
4] O.G. Shpyrko, et al.; Nature 447, 68 (2007)
5] D. Lumma, et al.; Phy Rev Lett 86, 2042 (2001)
6] C. Gutt, et al.; Phy Rev Lett 91, 076104 (2003)
7] W.H. de Jeu, et al.; Physica B-Cond Matter 357, 39 (2005)