Electrons display rapid oscillations around an atom’s nucleus, completing cycles in just a few hundred attoseconds. This ultrafast behavior has made direct observation of electron activity within molecules a formidable challenge. However, innovative researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego have proposed a groundbreaking technique to visualize electron movements.

The recently introduced method, termed ultrafast vortex electron diffraction, enables researchers to directly observe electron dynamics in molecules at attosecond intervals. This research has been detailed in a paper published in the esteemed journal Physical Review Letters.

The core innovation of this approach involves a uniquely formatted electron beam that spirals as it travels, allowing for precise measurement of electron motion in both spatial and temporal dimensions. This technique places a significant emphasis on electronic coherence, wherein electrons exhibit synchronized and harmonious movement.

By isolating such coherent electron dynamics from competing processes, this novel methodology opens new avenues for investigating various quantum processes, including energy transfer and electron interactions in advanced materials. This offers unprecedented insights into the fundamental behaviors of molecules and materials.

This pivotal study was spearheaded by Haowei Wu and Haiwang Yong at UC San Diego.

“The remarkable sensitivity of this technique to electronic coherence paves the way for the visualization of ultrafast quantum phenomena in molecules, bringing us closer to the ultimate objective of controlling chemical reactions at the atomic level,” expresses Yong.