Ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM) combines modern electron microscopy with pump-probe technique, which enables ultrafast imaging, diffraction and electron-spectroscopy with nanometer-femtosecond spatiotemporal resolution. The unique advantages of UEM enable powerful capabilities in the study of dynamic phenomena in materials, nano-systems and biology. In the last decades, the application of UEM in the research of non-equilibrium state including structural dynamics, magnetic dynamics, and other light-matter interaction phenomena brings new vision to the nature of multi-body interaction in materials and nano-systems. In addition, UEM has exhibited great application in the field of nano-photonics and electron optics based on the photon-induced near field microscopy (PINEM) effect, a phenomenon of quantum interaction between free electrons and optical field mediated by medium. The imaging of surface plasma polariton, band structure measurement of optical microcavities, electron acceleration, electron pulse compression and many other fascinating researches have been realized in UEM. Furthermore, with the great progresses in generation of attosecond optical pulses in the past decade (awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023), several strategies for achieving attosecond electron microscopy have been proposed and some of them have even been successfully demonstrated recently, providing an unprecedented powerful tool for study light-matter interactions on the nanometer or sub-nanometer spatial scale within a single or few optical circles.
The development and application of UEM are still fast expanding. The scope of this focus issue in Frontiers of Physics would cover the recent development of UEM and the novel applications in many scopes. We do hope that the issue will form a broad overview of the current state of this cutting edge field.
We are looking for high profile scientists from China and overseas to contribute Review, Topical Review, View & Perspective, or Research Article in the foresaid areas. Please feel free to choose a striking topic that best fits the issue. Co-authorship is welcome. There is no strict length limit for each article, and for each review at least 15 pages length is highly expected.
The sample article (TEX template) can be downloaded via http://journal.hep.com.cn/fop/EN/column/column15258.shtml and the new manuscript can be submitted online through http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/fop. A copy of the volume will be mailed to all participants.
Sincerely,
Xuewen Fu
Nankai University, China
E-mail: xwfu@nankai.edu.cn
Jun Li
Institute of Physics CAS, China
E-mail: junli@iphy.ac.c
Bin Chen
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
E-mail: cbcce@sjtu.edu.cn