New X-ray Technique Helps Scientists Watch Quantum Materials Respond to Laser Pulses

Argonne researchers developed an X-ray imaging technique to track silicon carbide’s response to ultrafast laser pulses, providing insights that could improve the precision of creating quantum defects. The measurements revealed energy moving through the crystal as fast mechanical waves and more slowly dispersing heat, capturing changes across its surface and into its interior. The technique could help researchers refine laser conditions to create more reliable defects for use as qubits, though precise placement remains a long-term goal. Image: In a new technique developed at Argonne, an X-ray beam is directed at silicon carbide at a controlled time after the material is struck by a pulse of laser light. The X-ray acts like a camera, letting scientists see in real…