Laser Induced Electron Diffraction

Laser induced electron diffraction (LIED) is an emerging gas phase ultrafast molecular imaging technique that enables the determination of the location of atoms inside molecules with few-picometre and few-femtosecond spatio-temporal resolution. This chapter provides a detailed, albeit not exhaustive, presentation and implementation of LIED. Part 1 begins with a historical perspective, illustrating the connection between classic electromagnetic wave interference and diffraction and the quantum nature of electron elastic scattering in conventional gas phase electron diffraction. Part 2 introduces the reader to LIED, presenting in detail its fundamental underpinnings, the experimental implementation with its analysis tools, and the method’s modern theoretical tools developed for structural retrieval. A brief comparison with other ultrafast molecular methods is provided in part 3. Part 4 highlights several important scientific discoveries and applications facilitated by LIED during the last decade, with a special emphasis on ultrafast molecular dynamics studies. LIED’s advantages and disadvantages are explored in part 5. The chapter concludes with our view of LIED’s future, delving not only into challenges facing the method, but also opportunities provided by advances in laser technologies, data collection and theoretical analysis.