Ultrafast processes in radiation chemistry

Ultrafast (<10-11 s) physical processes play a pivotal role in radiation-induced chemical reactions. Due to the lack of subpicosecond pulse radiolysis tools knowledge of these events is lacking. We describe the development of laser-based techniques that are designed to provide a source of femtosecond electron and X-ray pulses for chemical physics research. Terawatt laser systems have succeeded in relativistically accelerating subpicosecond electron bunches to energies greater than 5 MeV. The electron pulses generated this way are suitable for pulse radiolysis