Physicists at the University of Göttingen have achieved a new milestone in quantum mechanics. By using a tabletop soft X-ray laser, they successfully mapped the three-dimensional geometry of a molecular wavefunction. This approach allows researchers to observe the electron orbitals of organic molecules with high precision, resolving features smaller than the distance between carbon atoms.
In quantum mechanics, a wavefunction represents the probability of an electron's position and momentum. These shapes are critical for understanding how molecules react to light or interact with their surroundings. Previously, capturing these structures required the use of large, specialized synchrotron facilities. This new method moves the imaging process into a standard laboratory setting, making it accessible for a wider range of scientific experiments.
The research team combined two main innovations to make this possible. First, they redesigned the mathematical algorithms used to process data, which allows for reliable 3D reconstructions with significantly less experimental input. Second, they utilized a tabletop soft X-ray light source that provides ultrashort light pulses. These pulses are necessary to capture the fast movements of electrons.
This development opens the door for new types of observation. With the ability to capture this data in a lab, scientists can look toward creating three-dimensional videos of molecular wavefunctions. This stroboscopic imaging could reveal how molecules change on a femtosecond scale—a fraction of a second so small it is measured in quadrillionths. This level of detail allows for a deeper understanding of how molecules adapt to optical or chemical changes, providing new ways to control interactions at the atomic level.
The findings were recently published in Nature Communications. This work was supported by several projects through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, highlighting the importance of long-term funding for fundamental physical research.