InternalThe X-ray flashes of the European XFEL will enable completely novel, three-dimensional insights into the nanoworld and thus shed light on future technological applications.
The progressive miniaturization of technology requires an ever better understanding of the nanoworld. Computer chips and magnetic, optical and biological sensors inexorably approach dimensions of just a few billionths of a metre. The next generation of magnetic storage devices, for instance, will comprise structures that are smaller than 100 nanometres. At this level, materials exhibit astonishing new properties: copper becomes transparent, aluminium inflammable, gold liquid, silicon conductive.
Using the X-ray flashes of the European XFEL, scientists can determine the properties of such tiny systems. For instance, they can study the relationship between the form and behaviour of different materials on the nanoscale.
One very interesting class of objects that can be studied at the European XFEL are so-called quantum dots. These consist of up to several thousand semiconductor atoms, and their electronic and optical properties can be tailor-made by designing their atomic structure accordingly. Quantum dots play an important role in the development of new light-emitting diodes and lasers all the way to quantum computers. They can also be used for more efficient solar cells. Studies using the X-ray flashes of the European XFEL will help to better understand the function and structure of these systems and thus push ahead with the development of new materials using quantum dot technology.
