Femtosecond electron diffractometry: a new approach and first steps

Simulations and first experiments that aims to improve the temporal resolution of ultrafast electron diffraction are presented. For this purpose a laser with a high pulse energy operating at a MHz-repetition rate has been developed. Work in progress involves scaling the laser energy to the few muJ level by applying a pump laser with higher power and by adding an amplification stage. Few-fs electron pulses will be generated by means of a novel hybrid DC-AC electron gun. These ultrashort electron pulses synchronized to fs-laser pulses will allow investigating molecular dynamics on an unprecedented time scale, making observable, for example, the motion of rotational and vibrational wavepackets as well as ultrafast conformational changes.