[quote]COLUMBUS, Ohio – Using a new ultrafast camera, researchers have recorded the first real-time image of two atoms vibrating in a molecule.
Key to the experiment, which appears in this week's issue of the journal Nature, is the researchers' use of the energy of a molecule's own electron as a kind of "flash bulb" to illuminate the molecular motion.
The team used ultrafast laser pulses to knock one electron out of its natural orbit in a molecule. The electron then fell back toward the molecule scattered off of it, analogous to the way a flash of light scatters around an object, or a water ripple scatters in a pond.
Principal investigator Louis DiMauro of Ohio State University said that the feat marks a first step toward not only observing chemical reactions, but also controlling them on an atomic scale.
"Through these experiments, we realized that we can control the quantum trajectory of the electron when it comes back to the molecule, by adjusting the laser that launches it," said DiMauro, who is a professor of physics at Ohio State. "The next step will be to see if we can steer the electron in just the right way to actually control a chemical reaction."
A standard technique for imaging a still object involves shooting the object with an electron beam – bombarding it with millions of electrons per second. The researchers' new single-electron quantum approach allowed them to image rapid molecular motion, based on theoretical developments by the paper's coauthors at Kansas State University.
A technique called laser induced electron diffraction (LIED) is commonly used in surface science to study solid materials. Here, the researchers used it to study the movement of atoms in a single molecule.
The molecules they chose to study were simple ones: nitrogen, or N2, and oxygen, or O2. N2 and O2 are common atmospheric gases, and scientists already know every detail of their structure, so these two very basic molecules made a good test case for the LIED method.
In each case, the researchers hit the molecule with laser light pulses of 50 femtoseconds, or quadrillionths of a second. They were able to knock a single electron out of the outer shell of the molecule and detect the scattered signal of the electron as it re-collided with the molecule.
DiMauro and Ohio State postdoctoral researcher Cosmin Blaga likened the scattered electron signal to the diffraction pattern that light forms when it passes through slits. Given only the diffraction pattern, scientists can reconstruct the size and shape of the slits. In this case, given the diffraction pattern of the electron, the physicists reconstructed the size and shape of the molecule – that is, the locations of the constituent atoms' nuclei.
The key, explained Blaga, is that during the brief span of time between when the electron is knocked out of the molecule and when it re-collides, the atoms in the molecules have moved. The LIED method can capture this movement, "similar to making a movie of the quantum world," he added.
Beyond its potential for controlling chemical reactions, the technique offers a new tool to study the structure and dynamics of matter, he said. "Ultimately, we want to really understand how chemical reactions take place. So, long-term, there would be applications in materials science and even chemical manufacturing."
"You could use this to study individual atoms," DiMauro added, "but the greater impact to science will come when we can study reactions between more complex molecules. Looking at two atoms – that's a long way from studying a more interesting molecule like a protein."[/quote]
[img]http://media.eurekalert.org/multimedia_prod/pub/web/41436_web.jpg[/img]
[url=http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/osu-rcf030612.php]Source[/url]
I really hope we eventually get the magnification to see a molecule properly sometime.
Ground-breaking!
My mind is full of... MOLECULES!
It's watching us :O
[img]http://www.tolkien-online.com/images/eyeofsauron.jpg[/img]
But in all reality, this is really incredible, on the same level as xray diffraction to look at he molecular structure.
At first glance it reminded me of this.
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kxW2S2Bljc0/TNihhp6hOTI/AAAAAAAABf0/Q4zLuRlVyDo/s1600/a_breach_in_the_vortex_by_geodex-d326men.jpg[/img]
I go to Ohio state and this is the first I've heard about this. You'd think they'd publish this a bit more . Seems like a big breakthrough
[QUOTE=Led Zeppelin;35051146]I go to Ohio state and this is the first I've heard about this. You'd think they'd publish this a bit more . Seems like a big breakthrough[/QUOTE]
buckeye five! Also, this is brilliant stuff. I live across the street from that lab, and it's femtosecond class laser...
[t]http://good-wallpapers.com/pictures/1566/1280_science_bg01.png[/t]
This is very cool. I've been waiting for a long time for something like this.
[QUOTE=Within;35051441][t]http://good-wallpapers.com/pictures/1566/1280_science_bg01.png[/t][/QUOTE]
I fixed your entire post for you.
[QUOTE=Kendra;35050974][img]http://media.eurekalert.org/multimedia_prod/pub/web/41436_web.jpg[/img]
[url=http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/osu-rcf030612.php]Source[/url]
I really hope we eventually get the magnification to see a molecule properly sometime.[/QUOTE]
It's not really the magnification that's the problem, more that the wavelenght of visible ligt is much larger thkab the atoms and molecules.
[QUOTE=Swebonny;35051751]It's not really the magnification that's the problem, more that the wavelenght of visible ligt is much larger thkab the atoms and molecules.[/QUOTE]
I know, but still, you need the magnification before you tackle the other problems.
heh, its called LIED.
im not quite sure what is going on in that picture...
Pink region means area of high momentum, blue is lesser momentum.
reminds me of the light tunnel.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou6JNQwPWE0[/media]
[QUOTE=Swebonny;35051751]It's not really the magnification that's the problem, more that the wavelenght of visible ligt is much larger thkab the atoms and molecules.[/QUOTE]
Are you okay?
Wait. We've never actually seen an atom before, but we still manage to split them just fine?
[QUOTE=cyclocius;35055892]Wait. We've never actually seen an atom before, but we still manage to split them just fine?[/QUOTE]
Well, we know how to start the process to split them, we never actually split them ourselves.
[QUOTE=Swebonny;35051751]It's not really the magnification that's the problem, more that the wavelenght of visible ligt is much larger thkab the atoms and molecules.[/QUOTE]
Thab's exactly the issue we have tko fsab before we gab taklo fthbljb blrrrt prrt
[QUOTE=Led Zeppelin;35051146]I go to Ohio state and this is the first I've heard about this. You'd think they'd publish this a bit more . Seems like a big breakthrough[/QUOTE]
Same here, I'm only like a 5 minute walk away from the labs and I haven't heard a peep of this.
[QUOTE=mac338;35056615]Thab's exactly the issue we have tko fsab before we gab taklo fthbljb blrrrt prrt[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=erik802;35055889]Are you okay?[/QUOTE]
Hah, I was on the phone. Some old guy was peeking on my screen so I wanted to finish my post fast :v:
[editline]9th March 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Kendra;35051801]I know, but still, you need the magnification before you tackle the other problems.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but I just have the feeling that we've pretty much maxed out the amount of magnification we can achieve. I mean can it get any better than shooting electrons on stuff?
By the way, you'll like this picture:
[img]http://singularityhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/pentacene.jpg[/img]
[t]http://good-wallpapers.com/pictures/1566/1280_science_bg01.png[/t]
[IMG]http://memedepot.com/uploads/2000/2473_zhzkvr.jpg[/IMG]
fits more.
[QUOTE=Phaselancer;35051125]At first glance it reminded me of this.
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kxW2S2Bljc0/TNihhp6hOTI/AAAAAAAABf0/Q4zLuRlVyDo/s1600/a_breach_in_the_vortex_by_geodex-d326men.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]
i get that you like dr who and all but you're trying too hard to force a reference in
[QUOTE=Kendra;35050974][img]http://media.eurekalert.org/multimedia_prod/pub/web/41436_web.jpg[/img]
[/QUOTE]
[img]http://www.littletreasuresvintage.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/tie-dye.jpg[/img]
Hippies had it right all along!
[img]http://www.madebyhippies.com/tiedye/tshirts/spiral/blueandredspiraltiedyetshirt.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=Swebonny;35058226]I mean can it get any better than shooting electrons on stuff?[/QUOTE]
Shooting muon neutrinos at stuff!
Cool!
[QUOTE=Swebonny;35058226]Hah, I was on the phone. Some old guy was peeking on my screen so I wanted to finish my post fast :v:
[editline]9th March 2012[/editline]
Yeah, but I just have the feeling that we've pretty much maxed out the amount of magnification we can achieve. I mean can it get any better than shooting electrons on stuff?
By the way, you'll like this picture:
[img]http://singularityhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/pentacene.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]
Heh, I actually ment to say atom instead of molecule. Regardless, who knows, maybe we have maxed out on magnification, maybe we haven't. Decades will tell.
That's pretty cool, is it just me or do you see space invaders?
[img]http://u.filepak.com/xvpe_lol.jpg[/img]
EDIT: There's another space dude up the top too :P
Did you seriously have to put your username on that because you made a red squiggle on the picture? Haha.
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