One-atom detection in individual ionization tracks

A major advance in one-atom detection using laser photoionization makes it possible to detect with microsecond time resolution single neutral atoms resulting from the stopping of energetic heavy ions in a buffer gas. This detection at the one-atom level, which gives the first direct evidence of nearly complete charge neutralization of stopped energetic ions, is shown to be possible even under the extremely adverse conditions associated with a densely ionized particle track.