AI Insight
Researchers at Technion have developed a technique that combines scanning tunneling microscopy with precisely shaped laser pulses to control and observe electron movement at atomic-scale resolution and ultrafast timescales. The method allows for directional control of electron flow while maintaining the ability to image individual atoms. This advancement integrates spatial precision at the nanometer scale with temporal resolution capable of capturing electron dynamics.
Why it matters
This technique could enable scientists to directly observe and potentially manipulate electron behavior in materials at unprecedented detail, which is fundamental to understanding and developing advanced electronic devices, quantum technologies, and new materials. The ability to control electron flow with such precision may lead to breakthroughs in designing faster, more efficient electronic components.
Understand the Science
What would it take to watch an electron move through a material? Researchers would need to see individual atoms and capture an electron’s motion at incredibly short timescales. A Technion-led team has brought those two capabilities together in a scanning tunneling microscope, using carefully shaped laser pulses to control the direction of electron flow while preserving nanoscale spatial resolution.