A new way to change a material's structure with light (IMAGE)

DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

A new way to change a material's structure with light

Caption

Researchers changed the atomic structure of a thermoelectric material in a unique way with pulses of intense laser light - a method with potential to create new materials with dramatic properties that are not seen in nature. They were able to track and measure the atomic movements on a femtosecond time scale with the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

Credit

Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

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