Probing the atomic dynamics of ultrafast melting with femtosecond electron diffraction

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Mo, M. Z., Maigler, M. B., Held, T., Ofori-Okai, B. K., Bergermann, A., Chen, Z., Li, R. K., Shen, X., Sokolowski-Tinten, K., Redmer, R., Wang, X. J., Schein, J., Gericke, D. O., Rethfeld, B., Glenzer, S. H.
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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author Mo, M. Z.
Maigler, M. B.
Held, T.
Ofori-Okai, B. K.
Bergermann, A.
Chen, Z.
Li, R. K.
Shen, X.
Sokolowski-Tinten, K.
Redmer, R.
Wang, X. J.
Schein, J.
Gericke, D. O.
Rethfeld, B.
Glenzer, S. H.
author_facet Mo, M. Z.
Maigler, M. B.
Held, T.
Ofori-Okai, B. K.
Bergermann, A.
Chen, Z.
Li, R. K.
Shen, X.
Sokolowski-Tinten, K.
Redmer, R.
Wang, X. J.
Schein, J.
Gericke, D. O.
Rethfeld, B.
Glenzer, S. H.
contents Melting is an everyday phase transition that is determined by thermodynamic parameters like temperature and pressure. In contrast, ultrafast melting is governed by the microscopic response to a rapid energy input and, thus, can reveal the strength and dynamics of atomic bonds as well as the energy flow rate to the lattice. Accurately describing these processes remains challenging and requires detailed insights into transient states encountered. Here, we present data from femtosecond electron diffraction measurements that capture the structural evolution of copper during the ultrafast solid to liquid phase transformations. At absorbed energy densities 2 to 4 times the melting threshold, melting begins at the surface slightly below the nominal melting point followed by rapid homogeneous melting throughout the volume. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduce these observations and reveal a weak electron lattice energy transfer rate for the given experimental conditions. Both simulations and experiments show no indications of rapid lattice collapse when its temperature surpasses proposed limits of superheating, providing evidence that inherent dynamics limits the speed of disordering in ultrafast melting of metals.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_05054
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Probing the atomic dynamics of ultrafast melting with femtosecond electron diffraction
Mo, M. Z.
Maigler, M. B.
Held, T.
Ofori-Okai, B. K.
Bergermann, A.
Chen, Z.
Li, R. K.
Shen, X.
Sokolowski-Tinten, K.
Redmer, R.
Wang, X. J.
Schein, J.
Gericke, D. O.
Rethfeld, B.
Glenzer, S. H.
Materials Science
Melting is an everyday phase transition that is determined by thermodynamic parameters like temperature and pressure. In contrast, ultrafast melting is governed by the microscopic response to a rapid energy input and, thus, can reveal the strength and dynamics of atomic bonds as well as the energy flow rate to the lattice. Accurately describing these processes remains challenging and requires detailed insights into transient states encountered. Here, we present data from femtosecond electron diffraction measurements that capture the structural evolution of copper during the ultrafast solid to liquid phase transformations. At absorbed energy densities 2 to 4 times the melting threshold, melting begins at the surface slightly below the nominal melting point followed by rapid homogeneous melting throughout the volume. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduce these observations and reveal a weak electron lattice energy transfer rate for the given experimental conditions. Both simulations and experiments show no indications of rapid lattice collapse when its temperature surpasses proposed limits of superheating, providing evidence that inherent dynamics limits the speed of disordering in ultrafast melting of metals.
title Probing the atomic dynamics of ultrafast melting with femtosecond electron diffraction
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.05054