Imaging Light and Gases with Low Energy Electrons

We will establish a novel Australian electron microscopy initiative to address fundamental issues in electron matter wave manipulation using light forces and the trapping of atoms in optical lattices. This research program is based around a unique $1.3M Monash Low Energy Electron Microscope which will be developed to image light beams, optical standing waves and gas phase fluctuations within optical lattices. This will provide a direct, quantitative probe of the ponderomotive potential and the associated slow electron states. The potential minima of optical lattices will be used as novel environmental micro-cells for imaging gaseous phases in situ.