New Insights into Light-Driven Chemical Reactions (IMAGE)
Caption
A rendering of the five-atom molecule -- featuring three fluorine atoms (green), a carbon (black) and an iodine (purple) -- whose dynamics were captured by new research published in the journal Science. By striking the molecule with a laser and recording the way that pulses of electrons bounced off it, the researchers managed to track the motion of its atoms and how the iodine breaks free of its bond with the carbon. Such detailed insights could eventually inform the design of molecules better at storing energy or kick-starting other chemical reactions.
Credit
Stanford University / SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Usage Restrictions
None
License
Licensed content