Generating a Molecular Movie with Femtosecond Electron Pulses

Synopsis

The observation of atomic level events requires methods precise enough to characterize structural changes on the necessary spatial and temporal timescales. The topic of my presentation, femtosecond electron diffraction, makes use of electron pulse sources with high enough number density to capture ’molecular images‘ capable of resolving structural changes at the atomic level of detail. This allows us to observe atomic motions and chemical events in the lab as they occur. One can examine, for example, the effect of a change in the electron distribution of an atom due to photoexcitation on its bonds by examining atomic motions.