Kasra Amini

Dr. Kasra Amini is a Junior Research Group Leader at the Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., leading the 'High Repetition Rate Ultrafast Electron Diffraction' research group. He concurrently holds a Habilitation at the Freie Universität Berlin. His primary research focuses on time-resolved ultrafast chemical dynamics using ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) and Coulomb explosion imaging (CEI).

Education: He earned a PhD in Theoretical and Physical Chemistry from the University of Oxford (2013-2017), an MSci (First Class Honours) in Chemistry with Mathematics from University College London (2008-2012), and conducted research at the UK House of Commons Science and Environment Section (2010). He also serves as a Private Lecturer.

Research Interests: His work centers on developing novel UED setups for real-time observation of molecular dynamics at femtosecond timescales. The 30-kHz UED system he built achieves unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions (8 pm real-space, 0.04 Å⁻¹ reciprocal-space), enabling studies of large molecules (e.g., >20 atoms) and condensed matter. Secondary interests include X-ray-based CEI for studying photochemical reactions using free-electron lasers.

Collaborations: Active partnerships with experts in UED, ab initio calculations, and electron beam physics drive advancements in ultrafast imaging techniques. His group's innovations aim to bridge electron beam brightness and temporal resolution gaps in laboratory-scale setups.

Labs/Teams: His research group collaborates with international teams at facilities like FLASH (free-electron laser) and employs advanced imaging sensors like the pixel imaging mass spectrometry (PImMS) camera for precise data capture.