Ultrafast molecular and materials dynamics probed by attosecond coherent x-rays

The x-ray bursts generated during high harmonic generation represent the fastest strobe light in existence, fast enough to capture electron dynamics in atoms, molecules, and solids. Bright, attosecond, beams of coherent x-rays now span from the VUV to $>$ 0.5 keV [1,2], with the prospect of reaching the hard x-ray region in the near future. Exciting applications of attosecond science and technology will be discussed, including capturing the coupled motions of electrons and atoms in molecules, high-resolution imaging, nanoscale heat transport as well as ultrafast, element-specific, dynamics in magnetic materials [3-6]. \\[4pt] [1] Popmintchev et al., PNAS 106, 10516 (2009); Nature Photonics, to be published.\\[0pt] [2] Thomann et al., Optics Express 17, 4611 (2009).\\[0pt] [3] Siemens et al., Nature Materials, , to be published.\\[0pt] [4] La-O-Vorakiat et al., Physical Review Letters, , to be published.\\[0pt] [5] Li et al. Science 322, 1207 (2008).\\[0pt] [6] Murnane et al., Nature 460, 1088 (2009).