Imaging an aligned polyatomic molecule with laser-induced electron diffraction

Michael Pullen; Benjamin Wolter; Anh-Thu Le; Matthias Baudisch; Michaël Hemmer; Arne Senftleben; Claus Dieter Schröter; Joachim Ullrich; Robert Moshammer; Chii-Dong Lin; Jens Biegert

doi:10.1038/ncomms8262

arXiv · 1503.03294

Imaging an aligned polyatomic molecule with laser-induced electron diffraction

Michael Pullen·Benjamin Wolter·Anh-Thu Le·Matthias Baudisch·Michaël Hemmer·Arne Senftleben·Claus Dieter Schröter·Joachim Ullrich·Robert Moshammer·Chii-Dong Lin·Jens Biegert

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Abstract

Laser-induced electron diffraction is an evolving tabletop method, which aims to image ultrafast structural changes in gas-phase polyatomic molecules with sub-{\AA}ngstr\"om spatial and femtosecond temporal resolution. Here, we provide the general foundation for the retrieval of multiple bond lengths from a polyatomic molecule by simultaneously measuring the C-C and C-H bond lengths in aligned acetylene. Our approach takes the method beyond the hitherto achieved imaging of simple diatomic molecules and is based upon the combination of a 160 kHz mid-IR few-cycle laser source with full three-dimensional electron-ion coincidence detection. Our technique provides an accessible and robust route towards imaging ultrafast processes in complex gas phase molecules with atto- to femto-second temporal resolution.

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Michael Pullen, Benjamin Wolter, Anh-Thu Le, Matthias Baudisch, Michaël Hemmer, Arne Senftleben, Claus Dieter Schröter, Joachim Ullrich, Robert Moshammer, Chii-Dong Lin, Jens Biegert. 2015-03-11. Imaging an aligned polyatomic molecule with laser-induced electron diffraction. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8262

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