Ultrafast Electron Microscopy for Crystallographic Researches

Dear Colleagues,

Electron microscopy has arisen due to two of the three basic properties of electrons, the small wavelength and the presence of an electric charge, which makes it easy to control its movement using electric and magnetic fields. About 60 years ago, the third property of electrons was used, namely its small mass, as a result of which so-called stroboscopic electron microscopy appeared to study periodic processes in a condensed matter.
Since the 1980s, the scientific world has made intensive efforts to study the coherent nuclei dynamics in the molecules, the fast dynamic processes in biological tissues and cells, and the structure dynamics of solids in nano-volumes in time. Experimental observations of the behavior of matter in the space–time continuum on an ultrashort time scale is the necessary first step to explain and, subsequently, to control the nonequilibrium processes and functionality of the systems under study. The results of these studies provide the necessary new information for testing theoretical approaches to the description of the nonequilibrium dynamics of matter.
The study of the time sequence of ultrafast processes occurring during the evolution of intermediate structures in the course of chemical reactions requires the integration of information that can be obtained using complementary diffraction and spectroscopic methods based on various physical phenomena. The integration of data from ultrafast diffraction and spectroscopy makes it possible to investigate timescales prior to the onset of dissipation in which the coherent dynamics of matter can be observed. The study of the structural dynamics of matter with a high spatio-temporal resolution represents a new direction of modern science, which is a necessary step to explain the relationship between the elements of the structure–dynamics–property triad in physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science.
Ultrafast electron microscopy is a novel analytical technique of the 21st century that aims to fulfill the long-held dream of researchers to investigate materials at extremely short spatio-temporal domains by integrating the excellent spatial resolution of electron microscopes with the temporal resolution of ultrafast laser spectroscopy.
The Special Issue on “Ultrafast Electron Microscopy for Crystallographic Research” is intended to provide a unique international forum aimed at covering a broad field of results involving applications including chemical processes in biomolecules and molecular systems at surfaces. Scientists working in a wide range of disciplines are invited to contribute to this cause.
This thematic issue provides an overview of recent developments and results, covering a broad range of ultrafast processes in condensed matter. The topics summarized in the keywords cover broad examples of the greater number of possible sub-topics. The volume is especially open to any innovative contributions on the topics and/or sub-topics.

Prof. Dr. Anatoly A. Ischenko
Guest Editor

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• 4D ultrafast electron microscopy
• scanning electron microscopy
• transmission electron microscopy
• structural dynamics
• nonequilibrium phase transitions
• atomic resolution
• charge carrier dynamics
• electron impact dynamics
• energy loss mechanism
• surface dynamics