Affiliation:
1. ICFO—Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology 1 , 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain
2. ICREA 2 , Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
Abstract
Among the many methods to image molecular structure, laser-induced electron diffraction (LIED) can image a single gas-phase molecule by locating all of a molecule's atoms in space and time. The method is based on attosecond electron recollision driven by a laser field and can reach attosecond temporal resolution. Implementation with a mid-IR laser and cold-target recoil ion-momentum spectroscopy, single molecules are measured with picometer resolution due to the keV electron impact energy without ensemble averaging or the need for molecular orientation. Nowadays, the method has evolved to detect single complex and chiral molecular structures in 3D. The review will touch on the various methods to discuss the implementations of LIED toward single-molecule imaging and complement the discussions with noteworthy experimental findings in the field.
Funder
European Research Council
H2020 European Research Council
H2020 Future and Emerging Technologies
Laserlab-Europe
Fundación Cellex
Centres de Recerca de Catalunya
Alexander vom Humborldt Foundation for the Friedrich Wihlelm Bessel Prize
Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital, Gobierno de España
Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca