The shortest time previously recorded by electron microscopes was 43 attoseconds. The new technology, developed by a team led by Mohammed Hassan, exceeds this mark by a significant margin. The “attomicroscope” uses a complex technique involving ultrafast electron pulses and polarized light beams. The researchers produce ultrafast electrons by firing a pulse of ultraviolet light at a photocathode. These electrons are then hit by two laser beams with slightly different arrival times, creating a “gated” pulse that allows samples such as graphene to be imaged on the attosecond scale.
This achievement builds on the groundbreaking work of Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausch and Anne L’Huillier, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023 for their contributions to the generation of attosecond light pulses.
Source: Ferra
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
