Scientific Highlights
Complementary Response of Static Spin-Stripe Order and Superconductivity to Nonmagnetic Impurities in Cuprates
We report muon-spin rotation and neutron-scattering experiments on nonmagnetic Zn impurity effects on the static spin-stripe order and superconductivity of the La214 cuprates. Remarkably, it was found that, for samples with hole doping x ≈ 1/8, the spin-stripe ordering temperature Tso decreases linearly with Zn doping y and disappears at y ≈ 4%, demonstrating a high sensitivity of static spin-stripe order to impurities within a CuO2 plane.
A new RIXS analyzer scheme based on transmission zone plates
PSI scientists have developed a new type of X-ray optics that allows for analyzing the emission in resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) experiments. The new approach combines the energy dispersion with imaging capabilities. In a collaborative effort with research groups from Göttingen and Hamburg, two new classes of RIXS experiments, energy mapping and RIXS imaging, have been demonstrated.
Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER)
Perovskite oxides
Time-resolved XAS is exploited to capture the dynamic local electronic and geometric structure of perovskite oxides under operando conditions.
Single-shot Monitoring of Ultrafast Processes via X-ray Streaking at a Free Electron Laser
The advent of x-ray free electron lasers has extended the unique capabilities of resonant x-ray spectroscopy techniques to ultrafast time scales. Here, in collaboration between researchers from PSI, Sorbonne Universités, HASYLAB/DESY, Synchrotron SOLEIL, CNRS, and Uppsala University, we report on a novel experimental method that allows retrieving with a single x-ray pulse the time evolution of an ultrafast process, not only at a few discrete time delays, but continuously over an extended time window.
In Situ Serial Crystallography 2 Workshop at the SLS
A workshop dedicated to the presentation of the in meso in situ serial crystallography (IMISX) method (Huang et al. 2015, 2016 ActaD) for the X-ray structure determination of membrane proteins is organised at the Swiss Light Source at PSI for the second time. It will be held between November 27 and 29, 2017.
Equilibrium Skyrmion Lattice Ground State in a Polar Easy-plane Magnet
The skyrmion lattice state (SkL), a crystal built of mesoscopic spin vortices, gains its stability via thermal fluctuations in all bulk skyrmion host materials known to date. Therefore, its existence is limited to a narrow temperature region below the paramagnetic state. This stability range can drastically increase in systems with restricted geometries, such as thin films, interfaces and nanowires.
Chemical Imaging to Spy on Malaria Parasites
Unique insights into the adolescence and metabolism of a Malaria parasite in a human red blood cell are obtained by a new chemical imaging methodology – in situ correlative X-ray fluorescence microscopy and soft X-ray tomography.
Understanding the Enhanced Magnetic Response of Aminocholesterol Doped Lanthanide-Ion-Chelating Phospholipid Bicelles
Cholesterol (Chol-OH) and its conjugates are powerful molecules for engineering the physicochemical and magnetic properties of phospholipid bilayers in bicelles.
High-Tc superconductivity in undoped ThFeAsN
Unlike the widely studied ReFeAsO series, the newly discovered iron-based superconductor ThFeAsN exhibits a remarkably high critical temperature of 30 K, without chemical doping or external pressure. Here we investigate in detail its magnetic and superconducting properties via muon-spin rotation/relaxation and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques and show that ThFeAsN exhibits strong magnetic fluctuations, suppressed below ≈35 K, but no magnetic order.
Stresses and Strains in cruciform samples deformed in tension
Cruciform experiments are very useful to study non-proportional strain path change behavior of engineering metals and alloys. This work studies the stress response of 6 prominently used cruciform geometries deformed under tension. Results show that for most of the cruciform samples, the gauge stresses are non-linearly coupled to the applied forces in both arms. Cruciform geometries based on the ISO standard are able to decouple these stresses but negligible gauge plastic strains are reached prior to failure.