With the continuous advancement and maturation of laser cooling techniques for atoms and molecules and full-dimensional electron and ion imaging technology, the application of momentum imaging techniques to investigate the characteristic properties of cold atoms and collision dynamics has emerged as a burgeoning research direction. This progress has driven the development of a series of high-resolution electron and ion detection devices, leading to innovative breakthroughs in fields such as cold molecule reactions, Rydberg atoms, nuclear decay, photoionization of Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) and cold plasmas, collisions between cold atoms and ions/electrons, coherent control of cold atoms, and strong-field ultrafast physics. This article reviews representative instruments and their corresponding seminal achievements in these domains:
In cold molecular/cold chemical reactions, imaging technology has unveiled novel perspectives on reaction mechanisms;
For cold Rydberg atom interactions, it has demonstrated high-precision quantum state manipulation capabilities, advancing quantum information processing;
In nuclear decay research, it provides ultra-sensitive detection methods, deepening understanding of decay processes;
For BEC photoionization and cold plasma control, it enables precise monitoring and manipulation of microscopic processes;
In cold atomic collision studies, it reveals new details in collision dynamics, refining collision theories;
Regarding coherent control of cold atoms, it achieves accurate quantum state manipulation and interference;
In strong-field ultrafast processes, it deciphers complex electron dynamics under intense fields, offering innovative approaches for ultrafast laser control.
Furthermore, This article summarizes the applications of imaging technologies across the aforementioned research areas involving cold atoms, while providing prospects for future developments in this evolving field.