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Our Central Areas of Research
At SLAC, scientists are able to use a “camera” that employs an X-ray laser to capture particle motions and chemical reactions with time resolutions in the femtosecond range.
![Ultrafast Chemical Science](/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2023-09/pulse-landing.jpg?h=252f27fa&itok=JzCFowTo)
SLAC scientists study catalysts, materials that can affect chemical reactions without themselves being changed, which are critical to future energy technologies.
![Chemical Catalysis](/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2023-09/suncat-landing.jpg?h=252f27fa&itok=oxeeVq-P)
Featured Video
First Look at Liquids Getting Vaporized By the World's Brightest X-ray Laser
![](/sites/default/files/styles/centered/public/oembed_thumbnails/2023-09/HdDfVEzT959NXX-cW6KICkNdXK-MwAqfPmPM2iJBuCM.jpg?itok=x3T1Rsm1)
First Look at Liquids Getting Vaporized By the World's Brightest X-ray Laser
Researchers have recorded the first movies of liquids getting vaporized by SLAC’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), the world’s brightest X-ray laser. The movies reveal new details that could lead to better and novel experiments at X-ray lasers.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory