Imaging of Isolated Molecules with Ultrafast Electron Pulses

Authors

Christopher J. Hensley, University of Nebraska—Lincoln,Follow
Jie Yang, University of Nebraska—LincolnFollow
Martin Centurion, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2012

Citation

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 109, 133202 (2012); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.133202

Comments

Copyright (c) 2012 American Physical Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

Imaging isolated molecules in three dimensions with atomic resolution is important for elucidating complex molecular structures and intermediate states in molecular dynamics. This goal has so far remained elusive due to the random orientation of molecules in the gas phase. We show that threedimensional structural information can be retrieved from multiple electron diffraction patterns of aligned molecules. The molecules are aligned impulsively with a femtosecond laser pulse and probed with a femtosecond electron pulse two picoseconds later, when the degree of alignment reaches a maximum.