Molecular chirality and its monitoring by ultrafast X-ray pulses

TL;DR

This paper reviews how advanced ultrafast X-ray pulses can be used to probe molecular chirality with high spatial and temporal resolution, highlighting recent theoretical developments and potential experimental signals.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive survey of the theory behind stationary and time-resolved nonlinear chiral measurements in the X-ray regime, including possible signals and their information content.

Findings

Identification of signals for chiral measurements using X-ray pulses

Analysis of the information content of nonlinear chiral signals

Survey of experimental possibilities with tabletop and large-scale X-ray sources

Abstract

Major advances in X-ray sources including the development of circularly polarized and orbital angular momentum pulses make it possible to probe matter chirality at unprecedented energy regimes and with Angstr\"om and femtosecond spatiotemporal resolutions. We survey the theory of stationary and time-resolved nonlinear chiral measurements that can be carried out in the X-ray regime using tabletop X-ray sources or large scale (XFEL, synchrotron) facilities. A variety of possible signals and their information content are surveyed.