The Absorption of an Individual Electron Captured on Film
upstart writes:
The absorption of an individual electron captured on film:
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have observed the absorption of a single electron by a levitated droplet with such a magnification that it is visible with the naked eye and can even be measured with a normal millimeter scaled ruler.
A laser trap was used to levitate a silicone oil droplet in air. The trap consisted of a green laser with a wavelength of 532 nanometers that was directed upwards and focused by a lens with a focal distance of 100 mm. The focal point was placed between two electrodes placed in the center of the experimental chamber. The electrodes were parallel and separated by 1 mm. A 29 micrometer droplet was dropped into the laser beam, where it was trapped. Between the plates, a 666 V potential difference was applied which created a strong electric field. Alfa radiation was directed towards the almost uncharged droplet, ionizing the air around it. When the droplet gained or lost charge, the force applied by the electric field changed which in turn changed its position. The effects were magnified 73 times by a lens and projected onto a wall. With this magnification, the micrometric movements of the drop were observable with the naked eye. A common millimeter ruler was placed on the wall where the researchers could directly observe the number of electrons the drop gained as it jumped about 1 mm per added electron.
Journal Reference:
Javier Tello Marmolejo, Mitzi Urquiza-Gonzalez, Oscar Isaksson, et al. Visualizing the electron's quantization with a ruler [open], Scientific Reports (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89714-2)
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