title: Chemical Bond Activation Observed with an X-ray Laser.
abstract: The concept of bonding and antibonding orbitals is fundamental in chemistry. The population of those orbitals and the energetic difference between the two reflect the strength of the bonding interaction. Weakening the bond is expected to reduce this energetic splitting, but the transient character of bond-activation has so far prohibited direct experimental access. Here we apply time-resolved soft X-ray spectroscopy at a free-electron laser to directly observe the decreased bonding-antibonding splitting following bond-activation using an ultrashort optical laser pulse.
authors: Institute for Methods and Instrumentation in Synchrotron Radiation Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH , 12489 Berlin, Germany.|SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.|DESY Photon Science , 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Beye
authors: Department of Physics, Stockholm University , 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Henrik
authors: H
authors: Öberg
authors: SUNCAT, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Hongliang
authors: H
authors: Xin
authors: LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Georgi L
authors: GL
authors: Dakovski
authors: Physik Department, Universität Hamburg and Center for Free-Electron Laser Science , 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Martina
authors: M
authors: Dell'Angela
authors: Institute for Methods and Instrumentation in Synchrotron Radiation Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH , 12489 Berlin, Germany.|Institut für Physik und Astronomie, Universität Potsdam , 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Föhlisch
authors: Department of Physics, Stockholm University , 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Jörgen
authors: J
authors: Gladh
authors: Institute for Methods and Instrumentation in Synchrotron Radiation Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH , 12489 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Hantschmann
authors: Physik Department, Universität Hamburg and Center for Free-Electron Laser Science , 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Hieke
authors: SUNCAT, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Sarp
authors: S
authors: Kaya
authors: Institute for Methods and Instrumentation in Synchrotron Radiation Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH , 12489 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Danilo
authors: D
authors: Kühn
authors: SUNCAT, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.|Chapman University , Orange, California 92866, United States.
authors: Jerry
authors: J
authors: LaRue
authors: Physik Department, Universität Hamburg and Center for Free-Electron Laser Science , 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Mercurio
authors: LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Michael P
authors: MP
authors: Minitti
authors: LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Ankush
authors: A
authors: Mitra
authors: LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Stefan P
authors: SP
authors: Moeller
authors: SUNCAT, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: May Ling
authors: ML
authors: Ng
authors: SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.|Department of Physics, Stockholm University , 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.|SUNCAT, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Nilsson
authors: SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Dennis
authors: D
authors: Nordlund
authors: SUNCAT, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Jens
authors: J
authors: Nørskov
authors: Department of Physics, Stockholm University , 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Henrik
authors: H
authors: Öström
authors: SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Hirohito
authors: H
authors: Ogasawara
authors: Surface Science Research Centre and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool , Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom.
authors: Mats
authors: M
authors: Persson
authors: LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: William F
authors: WF
authors: Schlotter
authors: SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.|Department of Physics, Stockholm University , 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.|Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology , 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Jonas A
authors: JA
authors: Sellberg
authors: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft , 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Wolf
authors: SUNCAT, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Abild-Pedersen
authors: Department of Physics, Stockholm University , 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Lars G M
authors: LG
authors: Pettersson
authors: DESY Photon Science , 22607 Hamburg, Germany.|Physik Department, Universität Hamburg and Center for Free-Electron Laser Science , 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Wilfried
authors: W
authors: Wurth