Quantum-Coherent Light-Electron Interaction in a Scanning Electron Microscope

Shiloh R, Chlouba T, Hommelhoff P (2022)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Book Volume: 128

Article Number: 235301

Journal Issue: 23

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.235301

Abstract

The last two decades experimentally affirmed the quantum nature of free electron wave packets by the rapid development of transmission electron microscopes into ultrafast, quantum-coherent systems. So far, all experiments were restricted to the bounds of transmission electron microscopes enabling one or two photon-electron interaction sites. We show the quantum coherent coupling between electrons and light in a scanning electron microscope, at unprecedentedly low, subrelativistic energies down to 10.4 keV. These microscopes not only afford the yet-unexplored energies from ∼0.5 to 30 keV providing the optimum electron-light coupling efficiency, but also offer spacious and easily configurable experimental chambers for extended, cascaded optical set ups, potentially boasting thousands of photon-electron interaction sites. Our results make possible experiments in electron wave packet shaping, quantum computing, and spectral imaging with low-energy electrons.

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How to cite

APA:

Shiloh, R., Chlouba, T., & Hommelhoff, P. (2022). Quantum-Coherent Light-Electron Interaction in a Scanning Electron Microscope. Physical Review Letters, 128(23). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.235301

MLA:

Shiloh, Roy, Tomas Chlouba, and Peter Hommelhoff. "Quantum-Coherent Light-Electron Interaction in a Scanning Electron Microscope." Physical Review Letters 128.23 (2022).

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