Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A four-dimensional electron microscope for imaging a sample, the four-dimensional electron microscope comprising:a stage assembly configured to support the sample;a first laser source capable of emitting a first optical pulse of less than 1 ps in duration;a second laser source capable of emitting a second optical pulse of less than 1 ns in duration;a cathode coupled to the first laser source and the second laser source, the cathode being capable of emitting a first electron pulse less than 1 ps in duration in response to the first optical pulse and a second electron pulse of less than 1 ns in response to the second optical pulse;an electron lens assembly configured to focus the electron pulse onto the sample;a detector configured to capture one or more electrons passing through the sample, the detector providing a data signal associated with the one or more electrons passing through the sample;a processor coupled to the detector, the processor being configured to process the data signal associated with the one or more electrons passing through the sample to output information associated with an image of the sample; andan output device coupled to the processor, the output device being configured to output the information associated with the image of the sample. 2. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first electron pulse or the second electron pulse consists of a single electron. 3. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 further comprising one or more optical elements operable to couple the sample to at least one of the first optical pulse or the second optical pulse. 4. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 further comprising a delay stage disposed along an optical path between at least one of the first laser source or the second laser source and the sample. 5. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 wherein the second laser source comprises a mode-locked laser oscillator providing a train of optical pulses with a Full Width Half Maximum (“FWHM”) of less than 500 fs. 6. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 wherein the FWHM is less than 100 fs. 7. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 wherein the cathode comprises a LaB6 bearing crystal. 8. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises a digital charged coupled device (“CCD”) camera. 9. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 wherein the sample is selected from a biological sample, a chemical sample, a physical sample, and an electronic sample. 10. The four-dimensional electron microscope of claim 1 further comprising one or memories including computer code configured to control at least one of the electron lens assembly, the detector, the processor, or the output device. 11. A convergent beam 4D electron microscope comprising:a laser system operable to provide a series of optical pulses;a first optical system operable to split the series of optical pulses into a first set of optical pulses and a second set of optical pulses;a first frequency conversion unit operable to frequency double the first set of optical pulses;a second optical system operable to direct the frequency doubled first set of optical pulses to impinge on a sample;a second frequency conversion unit operable to frequency triple the second set of optical pulses;a third optical system operable to direct the frequency tripled second set of optical pulses to impinge on a cathode, thereby generating a train of electron packets;an accelerator operable to accelerate the train of electron packets;a first electron lens operable to de-magnify the train of electron packets; anda second electron lens operable to focus the train of electron packets onto the sample. 12. The convergent beam 4D electron microscope of claim 11 wherein the optical system comprises a beamsplitter. 13. The convergent beam 4D electron microscope of claim 11 wherein the first frequency conversion unit comprises a doubling crystal. 14. The convergent beam 4D electron microscope of claim 11 wherein the laser system comprises a femtosecond laser. 15. The convergent beam 4D electron microscope of claim 11 wherein the cathode and the sample are located in a TEM housing. 16. The convergent beam 4D electron microscope of claim 11 further comprising a delay stage operable to increase or decrease a propagation path for at least one of the first set of optical pulses or the frequency doubled first set of optical pulses. 17. The convergent beam 4D electron microscope of claim 11 wherein one or more of the electron packets consist of a single electron. 18. A system for generating attosecond electron pulses, the system comprising:a first laser source operable to provide a laser pulse;a cathode optically coupled to the first laser source and operable to provide an electron pulse at a velocity v0 directed along an electron path;a second laser source operable to provide a first optical wave at a first wavelength, wherein the first optical wave propagates in a first direction offset from the electron path by a first angle; anda third laser source operable to provide a second optical wave at a second wavelength, wherein the second optical wave propagates in a second direction offset from the electron path by a second angle, wherein interaction between the first optical wave and the second optical wave produce a standing wave copropagating with the electron pulse. 19. The system of claim 18 wherein an angle between a direction of propagation of the electron pulse and the first direction is less than 90°. 20. The system of claim 18 wherein an angle between a direction of propagation of the electron pulse and the second direction is between 90° and 270°. 21. The system of claim 18 wherein the standing wave comprises a plurality of peaks extending over a distance less than a duration of the electron pulse. 22. The system of claim 18 wherein interaction between the standing wave and the electron pulse produces the attosecond electron pulses. 23. The system of claim 22 wherein one or more of the attosecond electron pulses consist of a single electron. 24. The system of claim 22 wherein a duration of the attosecond electron pulses is between 10 as and 100 as. 25. The system of claim 18 wherein the cathode, the electron pulse, and the standing wave copropagating with the electron pulse are located in a housing at less than atmospheric pressure. 26. The system of claim 25 wherein the housing comprises a transmission electron microscope. 27. A method for generating a series of tilted attosecond pulses, the method comprising:providing a femtosecond electron packet propagating along an electron path, the femtosecond electron packet having a packet duration and a direction of propagation;providing an optical standing wave disposed along the electron path, wherein the optical standing wave is characterized by a peak to peak wavelength measured in a direction tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction of propagation;generating the series of tilted attosecond pulses after interaction between the femtosecond electron packet and the optical standing wave. 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the packet duration is between 1 fs and 100 fs. 29. The method of claim 28 wherein the duration is 15 fs. 30. The method of claim 27 wherein the tilted attosecond pulses are oriented with respect to the direction of propagation at the predetermined angle. 31. The method of claim 27 wherein one or more of the tilted attosecond pulses consist of a single electron. 32. A method of operating an electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) system, the method comprising:providing a train of optical pulses using a pulsed laser source;directing the train of optical pulses along an optical path;frequency doubling a portion of the train of optical pulses to provide a frequency doubled train of optical pulses;frequency tripling a portion of the frequency doubled train of optical pulses to provide a frequency tripled train of optical pulses;optically delaying the frequency doubled train of optical pulses using a variable delay line;impinging the frequency doubled train of optical pulses on a sample;impinging the frequency tripled train of optical pulses on a photocathode;generating a train of electron pulses along an electron path;passing the train of electron pulses through the sample;passing the train of electron pulses through a magnetic lens; anddetecting the train of electron pulses at a camera. 33. The method of claim 32 wherein the optical pulses have a duration less than 500 fs. 34. The method of claim 33 wherein the duration is between 1 fs and 250 fs. 35. The method of claim 32 further comprising using the variable delay line to increase the time between impinging the frequency doubled train of optical pulses on the sample and passing the train of electron pulses through the sample. 36. The method of claim 32 wherein the electron pulses consist of a single electron. 37. The method of claim 32 wherein the electron pulses have a duration of less than 500 fs. 38. The method of claim 37 wherein the duration is between 15 as and 250 fs. 39. The method of claim 32 wherein detecting the train of electron pulses comprises forming an image of the sample on a CCD camera. 40. The method of claim 32 wherein detecting the train of electron pulses comprises forming a diffraction pattern. 41. The method of claim 32 wherein detecting the train of electron pulses comprises dispersing the train of electron pulses in an EELS spectrometer.