The development of Laue techniques for single-pulse diffraction of chemical complexes: time-resolved Laue diffraction on a binuclear rhodium metal-organic complex

Acta Cryst. (2011). A67, 19–326 (dx.doi.org/10.1107/S0108767311011883)

Photodifference maps showing instantaneous changes on excitation with isosurfaces of ±0.25 eÅ⁻³ (red positive, blue negative).

Laser-pump/X-ray probe experiments at synchrotron sources can reveal the structure of very short-lived chemical complexes at atomic resolution. It is crucial in such experiments to maximize both the time resolution and the accuracy of the results. The former requires single-pulse diffraction which can be achieved with the polychromatic Laue technique, the latter requires detailed modification of existing Laue procedures, which are described in the article together with results of their application at APS beamline ID-14 and comparison of the results with theoretical predictions.