Probing spin–vibronic dynamics using femtosecond X-ray spectroscopy

Abstract

Ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy within the X-ray regime is now possible owing to the development of X-ray Free Electrons Lasers (X-FELs) and is opening new opportunities for the direct probing of femtosecond evolution of the nuclei, the electronic and spin degrees of freedom. In this contribution we use wavepacket dynamics of the photoexcited decay of a new Fe(II) complex, [Fe(bmip)₂]²⁺ (bmip = 2,6-bis(3-methyl-imidazole-1-ylidine)pyridine), to simulate the experimental observables associated with femtosecond Fe K-edge X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES) and X-ray emission (XES) spectroscopy. We show how the evolution of the nuclear wavepacket is translated into the spectroscopic signal and the sensitivity of these approaches for following excited state dynamics.