- First image of atoms moving in a molecule. This image is of molecular N2. Image from Cosmin Blaga, Ohio State University.
Admittedly, I understand very few of the details on how this actually works, but I thought it was neat. For the first time ever, a group of researchers captured an images of atoms moving in a molecule. At present they have only examined diatomic molecules O2 and N2, – that is to say molecules with only two atoms.
To capture these images they used an ultrafast laser pulse to excite an electron out of its natural orbit. The electron eventually crashes back into the molecule causing energy to scatter. Using the scattering patterns the electron generates, they can generate an image of the whole molecule. They were able to reconstruct the nuclei of atoms comprising the molecules. And they were also able to decipher movement of atoms after the electrons impacted the molecule after being ejected. The technique they use is called Laser Induced Electron Diffraction or LIED and they anticipate being able to use it on more complicated molecules. Very interesting stuff.