Images of atomic orbitals in Physics World Top 10
Dr. Aneta Stodolna, former PhD researcher at FOM Institute AMOLF, is listed in the Top 10 breakthroughs in physics in 2013, as judged by Physics World magazine. Stodolna and group leader Prof.dr. Marc Vrakking managed to take the first ever direct images of atomic orbitals.
"Anyone who has studied science has seen representations of atomic orbitals, but until this year no-one had ever managed to actually take a direct image of an orbital. Stodolna and Vrakking took the atomic snapshot with their new 'quantum microscope', which detects electrons that are ejected from helium atoms by laser light. When the atoms are put into a Rydberg state with an extremely large atomic orbital, the result is a clear image of the orbital's nodal structure', explained Physics World editorial team.
The team has a number of criteria for judging, included fundamental importance of research, a strong connection between theory and experiment, and general interest to all physicists.
More information
See the complete Top 10 in the Physics World news item
AMOLF Nieuws, 28 mei 2013