Towards sub-100 fs, single-shot electron diffraction

To study nature on the atomic scale one can use an electron microscope. However, this device cannot resolve ultrafast dynamics like changes in atomic configurations during bond-breakings, bond-makings, and (un)folding of bio-molecules. On the other hand, ultrashort laser pulses are routinely available, but these do not offer the required spatial resolution. A technique that combines atomic spatial and temporal resolution is ultrafast electron diffraction. It is a promising approach for complete structural characterization on femtosecond time-scales. To capture an image of the atomic configuration within a single shot the electron pulse must contain about a million electrons. As a consequence the electron pulses are strongly space charge dominated. We are currently commissioning a setup that will produce the required highly charged, 100 fs electron pulses to do electron diffraction on the atomic time-scale. We are aligning the electron optics and testing and implementing diagnostics, such as a streak camera to measure the electron pulse length