Origin, evolution, and imaging of vortices in atomic processes.

Vortices are usually associated with systems containing large numbers of particles. Of particular topical interest though are those formed within atomic-scale wave functions and observed in macroscopic systems such as superfluids and quantum condensates. We uncover them here in one of the most fundamental quantum systems consisting of just one electron and two protons. Moreover, the results of novel simulations of the dynamics of this system reveal previously unknown mechanisms of angular momentum transfer and new ways to image atomic-scale quantized vortices at macroscopic distances. Probing of vortices and vortex-driven dynamics in quantum systems is thereby illustrated.