title: Dynamics of biological molecules irradiated by short x-ray pulses.
abstract: Very short and intense x-ray pulses can be used for diffraction imaging of single biological molecules. Inevitably, x-ray absorption initiates damage that degrades the molecule's image. This paper presents a continuum model of the physics that leads to damage when a small particle absorbs a large x-ray dose. The main processes are found to be ionization and Coulomb-force driven atomic motion. Trapping of electrons, Debye shielding, and nonuniform collisional ionization all have a significant effect on the overall damage kinetics.
authors.affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551, USA.
authors.forename: Stefan P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hau-Riege
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: London
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szoke
mesh_terms: D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004583:Electrons; D007700:Kinetics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D013997:Time Factors; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D014965:X-Rays