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Tracking electrons at the space-time limit
Maier, Simon
, Spachtholz, Raffael, Glöckl, Katharina
, Bustamante, Carlos M., Lingl, Sonja, Maczejka, Moritz, Schön, Jonas, Riedel, Alexander, Richter, Klaus, Giessibl, Franz J.
, Bonafé, Franco P., Huber, Markus A.
, Rubio, Angel
, Repp, Jascha
and Huber, Rupert
(2026)
Tracking electrons at the space-time limit.
Nature Photonics.
Date of publication of this fulltext: 08 Jul 2026 07:03
Article
DOI to cite this document: 10.5283/epub.79752
Abstract
The dynamics of an electronic wavefunction often have non-trivial consequences on its spatial distribution, for example, during tunnelling or chemical bond formation. Yet, revealing spatio-temporal coupling requires ultrafast videography at the intrinsic size of electronic wavefunctions, at the so-called space-time limit. Here we experimentally access the intrinsic quantum motion of individual ...
The dynamics of an electronic wavefunction often have non-trivial consequences on its spatial distribution, for example, during tunnelling or chemical bond formation. Yet, revealing spatio-temporal coupling requires ultrafast videography at the intrinsic size of electronic wavefunctions, at the so-called space-time limit. Here we experimentally access the intrinsic quantum motion of individual electrons at the space-time limit while they are tunnelling through an energy barrier, using atomic-scale lightwave-driven scanning tunnelling microscopy with attosecond time resolution. While modulating the tunnelling barrier with two time-delayed near-infrared pulses forming phase-controlled single-cycle waveforms, isolated electron tunnelling transients shorter than 1 fs are identified. The measured spatial extension depends on the interplay of multi-photon and field-driven dynamics, as confirmed by full quantum simulations. We experimentally localize the attosecond-confined tunnelling wave packet on the angstrom scale and use it to map a single copper adatom on a silver surface. This fusion of attosecond science with atomic-scale scanning tunnelling microscopy makes it possible to study wavefunction dynamics inside atoms, molecules and solids.
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| Item type | Article | ||||
| Journal or Publication Title | Nature Photonics | ||||
| Publisher: | Springer Nature (Nature Portfolio) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Access Type: | Nature (Hybrid) | ||||
| Date | 3 July 2026 | ||||
| Institutions | Physics > Halle-Berlin-Regensburg Cluster of Excellence CCE Physics > Institute of Theroretical Physics > Chair Professor Richter > Group Klaus Richter Physics > Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics Physics > Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics > Chair Professor Giessibl > Group Franz J. Giessibl Physics > Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics > Group Jascha Repp Physics > Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics > Chair Professor Huber > Group Rupert Huber | ||||
| Projects |
Funded by:
Europäische Kommission (EU)
(951519)
Funded by:
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
(314695032)
Funded by:
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
(UNSPECIFIED)
Funded by:
Europäische Kommission (EU)
(101071259)
| ||||
| Identification Number |
| ||||
| Dewey Decimal Classification | 500 Science > 530 Physics | ||||
| Status | Published | ||||
| Refereed | Yes, this version has been refereed | ||||
| Created at the University of Regensburg | Yes | ||||
| URN of the UB Regensburg | urn:nbn:de:bvb:355-epub-797521 | ||||
| Item ID | 79752 |
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