On April 13 the ALS convened a workshop entitled “Soft X-Ray Spectroscopy: Theory and Experiment, Hand-in-Hand.” Organized in collaboration with the Theory Institute for Materials and Energy Spectroscopies (TIMES), based at Stanford University, the event brought together soft x-ray experimentalists and materials theorists to discuss potential collaborations and areas of soft x-ray spectroscopy that would benefit from more robust theory.
TIMES aims to develop a world-class program on the theory of spectroscopy, with the goal of understanding and controlling non-equilibrium phenomena and the emergent dynamics of coupled charge, spin, lattice, and orbital degrees of freedom at their natural time and length scales. The approach uses advanced theory and numerical simulations with a particular emphasis on the science enabled by the ALS, the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL). The ALS is participating in TIMES by providing experimental data sets that can assist in confirming theory.
The workshop, led by ALS Scientific Support Group Deputy Zahid Hussain, was the first concrete interaction between experimentalists and theorists as part of this program. The agenda began with introductory presentations on TIMES by Tom Devereaux (SLAC/Stanford) and John Rehr (University of Washington/SLAC), followed by talks focusing on the theory and experimental science of batteries and interfaces by ALS, Molecular Foundry, and Materials Science Division researchers, and concluded with a panel discussion.
A follow-on workshop is planned at SLAC later this year.