The ultra-bright femtosecond X-ray pulses provided by X-ray free
electron lasers (XFELs) open up opportunities to study the structure and
dynamics of a wide variety of systems beyond what is possible with
synchrotron sources. This book introduces the principles and properties
of currently operating and future XFELs, before outlining applications
in materials science, chemistry and biology. Edited by pioneers in this
exciting field, and featuring contributions from leading researchers,
this book is ideal for researchers working with XFELs, synchrotron
radiation, ultrafast and femtosecond crystallography and femtosecond
spectroscopy.