Microscope Can Capture 1 Quintillionth of a Second
Physicists at the University of Arizona have developed the world’s fastest electron microscope, capable of capturing events lasting just one attosecond, or one quintillionth of a second. This breakthrough, termed “attomicroscopy,” allows researchers to observe ultrafast electron motion that was previously unseeable.
The technique involves generating ultra-fast electron pulses using a split laser beam, enabling the imaging of samples like graphene with unprecedented temporal resolution. This advancement builds on Nobel Prize-winning research and could have significant applications in quantum physics, chemistry, and biology.