Quantum mechanics

Materials science

Computational physics

Nuclear physics

Ultrafast electron diffraction

Atomic physics

Range (aeronautics)

Laser

Physics

Optics

Electron diffraction

Characterization (materials science)

Condensed matter physics

Composite material

Reflection high-energy electron diffraction

State of matter

Electron

Diffraction

Ultrashort pulse

Reviews of Modern Physics

Understanding the structure and function of both energy and matter is a fundamental goal in science. Various spatiotemporal probes have been developed from electromagnetic waves spanning the entire range of the spectrum to neutrons and charged particles such as electrons. With the development of highly controlled, shorter electron bunches, retrieving dynamic structural information from solid-state and gas-phase samples is now possible at timescales that resolve atomic motion and length scales that resolve atomic positions in even the lightest elements. In this review advances in the generation, manipulation, and characterization of ultrashort electron beams are described.

Ultrafast electron diffraction: Visualizing dynamic states of matter