title: Ultrafast dynamics of shock compression of molecular monolayers.
abstract: Femtosecond laser-driven approximately 1 GPa shock waves are used to compress monolayers of hydrocarbon chains. Vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy probes the orientation of the terminal methyl groups. With an odd number (15) of carbon atoms, shock compression is an elastic process that causes the methyl groups to tilt. With an even number (18) of carbon atoms, shock compression is viscoelastic, creating single and double gauche defects. When the shock unloads, single gauche defects remain while double defects relax in 30 ps to single-defect states with more upright methyl groups.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Box 01-6 CLSL, 600 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Alexei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lagutchev
authors.forename: Wentao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Dana D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Dlott