1
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Kumar S, Lim J, Rivera N, Wong W, Ang YS, Ang LK, Wong LJ. Strongly correlated multielectron bunches from interaction with quantum light. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm9563. [PMID: 38718122 PMCID: PMC11078178 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm9563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Strongly correlated electron systems are a cornerstone of modern physics, being responsible for groundbreaking phenomena from superconducting magnets to quantum computing. In most cases, correlations in electrons arise exclusively because of Coulomb interactions. In this work, we reveal that free electrons interacting simultaneously with a light field can become highly correlated via mechanisms beyond Coulomb interactions. In the case of two electrons, the resulting Pearson correlation coefficient for the joint probability distribution of the output electron energies is enhanced by more than 13 orders of magnitude compared to that of electrons interacting with the light field in succession (one after another). These highly correlated electrons are the result of momentum and energy exchange between the participating electrons via the external quantum light field. Our findings pave the way to the creation and control of highly correlated free electrons for applications including quantum information and ultrafast imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suraj Kumar
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jeremy Lim
- Science, Mathematics and Technology, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372, Singapore
| | - Nicholas Rivera
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138, USA
| | - Wesley Wong
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Yee Sin Ang
- Science, Mathematics and Technology, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372, Singapore
| | - Lay Kee Ang
- Science, Mathematics and Technology, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372, Singapore
| | - Liang Jie Wong
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
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2
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Dang Z, Chen Y, Fang Z. Cathodoluminescence Nanoscopy: State of the Art and Beyond. ACS NANO 2023; 17:24431-24448. [PMID: 38054434 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c07593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Cathodoluminescence (CL) nanoscopy is proven to be a powerful tool to explore nanoscale optical properties, whereby free electron beams achieve a spatial resolution far beyond the diffraction limit of light. With developed methods for the control of electron beams and the collection of light, the dimension of information that CL can access has been expanded to include polarization, momentum, and time, holding promise to provide invaluable insights into the study of materials and optical near-field dynamics. With a focus on the burgeoning field of CL nanoscopy, this perspective outlines the recent advancements and applications of this technique, as illustrated by the salient experimental works. In addition, as an outlook for future research, several appealing directions that may bring about developments and discoveries are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibo Dang
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, and Nano-optoelectronics Frontier Center of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxiang Chen
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, and Nano-optoelectronics Frontier Center of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Zheyu Fang
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, and Nano-optoelectronics Frontier Center of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
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3
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Shi X, Kurman Y, Shentcis M, Wong LJ, García de Abajo FJ, Kaminer I. Free-electron interactions with van der Waals heterostructures: a source of focused X-ray radiation. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2023; 12:148. [PMID: 37321995 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-023-01141-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The science and technology of X-ray optics have come far, enabling the focusing of X-rays for applications in high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy, imaging, and irradiation. In spite of this, many forms of tailoring waves that had substantial impact on applications in the optical regime have remained out of reach in the X-ray regime. This disparity fundamentally arises from the tendency of refractive indices of all materials to approach unity at high frequencies, making X-ray-optical components such as lenses and mirrors much harder to create and often less efficient. Here, we propose a new concept for X-ray focusing based on inducing a curved wavefront into the X-ray generation process, resulting in the intrinsic focusing of X-ray waves. This concept can be seen as effectively integrating the optics to be part of the emission mechanism, thus bypassing the efficiency limits imposed by X-ray optical components, enabling the creation of nanobeams with nanoscale focal spot sizes and micrometer-scale focal lengths. Specifically, we implement this concept by designing aperiodic vdW heterostructures that shape X-rays when driven by free electrons. The parameters of the focused hotspot, such as lateral size and focal depth, are tunable as a function of an interlayer spacing chirp and electron energy. Looking forward, ongoing advances in the creation of many-layer vdW heterostructures open unprecedented horizons of focusing and arbitrary shaping of X-ray nanobeams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xihang Shi
- Solid State Institute and Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Yaniv Kurman
- Solid State Institute and Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Michael Shentcis
- Solid State Institute and Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Liang Jie Wong
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - F Javier García de Abajo
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, 08860, Spain
- ICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Ido Kaminer
- Solid State Institute and Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel.
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4
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Vento V, Tarrago Velez S, Pogrebna A, Galland C. Measurement-induced collective vibrational quantum coherence under spontaneous Raman scattering in a liquid. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2818. [PMID: 37198190 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38483-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous vibrational Raman scattering is a ubiquitous form of light-matter interaction whose description necessitates quantization of the electromagnetic field. It is usually considered as an incoherent process because the scattered field lacks any predictable phase relationship with the incoming field. When probing an ensemble of molecules, the question therefore arises: What quantum state should be used to describe the molecular ensemble following spontaneous Stokes scattering? We experimentally address this question by measuring time-resolved Stokes-anti-Stokes two-photon coincidences on a molecular liquid consisting of several sub-ensembles with slightly different vibrational frequencies. When spontaneously scattered Stokes photons and subsequent anti-Stokes photons are detected into a single spatiotemporal mode, the observed dynamics is inconsistent with a statistical mixture of individually excited molecules. Instead, we show that the data are reproduced if Stokes-anti-Stokes correlations are mediated by a collective vibrational quantum, i.e. a coherent superposition of all molecules interacting with light. Our results demonstrate that the degree of coherence in the vibrational state of the liquid is not an intrinsic property of the material system, but rather depends on the optical excitation and detection geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Vento
- Institute of Physics, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Santiago Tarrago Velez
- Institute of Physics, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anna Pogrebna
- Institute of Physics, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Galland
- Institute of Physics, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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5
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Lim J, Kumar S, Ang YS, Ang LK, Wong LJ. Quantum Interference between Fundamentally Different Processes Is Enabled by Shaped Input Wavefunctions. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2205750. [PMID: 36737853 PMCID: PMC10074114 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This work presents a general framework for quantum interference between processes that can involve different fundamental particles or quasi-particles. This framework shows that shaping input wavefunctions is a versatile and powerful tool for producing and controlling quantum interference between distinguishable pathways, beyond previously explored quantum interference between indistinguishable pathways. Two examples of quantum interference enabled by shaping in interactions between free electrons, bound electrons, and photons are presented: i) the vanishing of the zero-loss peak by destructive quantum interference when a shaped electron wavepacket couples to light, under conditions where the electron's zero-loss peak otherwise dominates; ii) quantum interference between free electron and atomic (bound electron) spontaneous emission processes, which can be significant even when the free electron and atom are far apart, breaking the common notion that a free electron and an atom must be close by to significantly affect each other's processes. Conclusions show that emerging quantum wave-shaping techniques unlock the door to greater versatility in light-matter interactions and other quantum processes in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Lim
- Science, Mathematics and TechnologySingapore University of Technology and Design8 Somapah RoadSingapore487372Singapore
| | - Suraj Kumar
- School of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringNanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore639798Singapore
| | - Yee Sin Ang
- Science, Mathematics and TechnologySingapore University of Technology and Design8 Somapah RoadSingapore487372Singapore
| | - Lay Kee Ang
- Science, Mathematics and TechnologySingapore University of Technology and Design8 Somapah RoadSingapore487372Singapore
| | - Liang Jie Wong
- School of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringNanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore639798Singapore
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6
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Morimoto Y. Attosecond electron-beam technology: a review of recent progress. Microscopy (Oxf) 2023; 72:2-17. [PMID: 36269108 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfac054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Electron microscopy and diffraction with ultrashort pulsed electron beams are capable of imaging transient phenomena with the combined ultrafast temporal and atomic-scale spatial resolutions. The emerging field of optical electron beam control allowed the manipulation of relativistic and sub-relativistic electron beams at the level of optical cycles. Specifically, it enabled the generation of electron beams in the form of attosecond pulse trains and individual attosecond pulses. In this review, we describe the basics of the attosecond electron beam control and overview the recent experimental progress. High-energy electron pulses of attosecond sub-optical cycle duration open up novel opportunities for space-time-resolved imaging of ultrafast chemical and physical processes, coherent photon generation, free electron quantum optics, electron-atom scattering with shaped wave packets and laser-driven particle acceleration. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Morimoto
- Ultrashort Electron Beam Science RIKEN Hakubi research team, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR), RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics (RAP), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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7
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Karnieli A, Roitman D, Liebtrau M, Tsesses S, Van Nielen N, Kaminer I, Arie A, Polman A. Cylindrical Metalens for Generation and Focusing of Free-Electron Radiation. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:5641-5650. [PMID: 35791573 PMCID: PMC9335868 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c04556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Metasurfaces constitute a powerful approach to generate and control light by engineering optical material properties at the subwavelength scale. Recently, this concept was applied to manipulate free-electron radiation phenomena, rendering versatile light sources with unique functionalities. In this Letter, we experimentally demonstrate spectral and angular control over coherent light emission by metasurfaces that interact with free-electrons under grazing incidence. Specifically, we study metalenses based on chirped metagratings that simultaneously emit and shape Smith-Purcell radiation in the visible and near-infrared spectral regime. In good agreement with theory, we observe the far-field signatures of strongly convergent and divergent cylindrical radiation wavefronts using in situ hyperspectral angle-resolved light detection in a scanning electron microscope. Furthermore, we theoretically explore simultaneous control over the polarization and wavefront of Smith-Purcell radiation via a split-ring-resonator metasurface, enabling tunable operation by spatially selective mode excitation at nanometer resolution. Our work highlights the potential of merging metasurfaces with free-electron excitations for versatile and highly tunable radiation sources in wide-ranging spectral regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviv Karnieli
- Raymond
and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Dolev Roitman
- Raymond
and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Matthias Liebtrau
- Center
for Nanophotonics, NWO-Institute AMOLF, Science Park 104, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Shai Tsesses
- Andrew
and Erna Viterbi Department of Electrical Engineering, Technion−Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Nika Van Nielen
- Center
for Nanophotonics, NWO-Institute AMOLF, Science Park 104, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ido Kaminer
- Andrew
and Erna Viterbi Department of Electrical Engineering, Technion−Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Ady Arie
- School
of Electrical Engineering, Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Albert Polman
- Center
for Nanophotonics, NWO-Institute AMOLF, Science Park 104, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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8
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Kozák M, Ostatnický T. Asynchronous Inelastic Scattering of Electrons at the Ponderomotive Potential of Optical Waves. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 129:024801. [PMID: 35867456 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.129.024801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We study free electron dynamics during inelastic interaction with the ponderomotive potential of a traveling optical wave using classical and quantum-mechanical models. We show that in the strong interaction regime, the electrons trapped in the periodic potential oscillate leading to periodic revolutions of sharp peaks of the density distributions in the real and momentum spaces. In this regime, the synchronicity between the velocity of the optical wave and the electron propagation velocity is not required. Asynchronous interaction enables acceleration or deceleration of a significant fraction of the electrons to a final spectrum with a relative spectral width of 0.5%-2.5%. This technique allows one to accelerate electrons from rest to keV energies while reaching a narrow spectrum of kinetic energies and femtosecond pulsed operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kozák
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 12116 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Ostatnický
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 12116 Prague 2, Czech Republic
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9
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Huang S, Duan R, Pramanik N, Boothroyd C, Liu Z, Wong LJ. Enhanced Versatility of Table-Top X-Rays from Van der Waals Structures. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105401. [PMID: 35355443 PMCID: PMC9165495 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Van der Waals (vdW) materials have attracted much interest for their myriad unique electronic, mechanical, and thermal properties. In particular, they are promising candidates for monochromatic, table-top X-ray sources. This work reveals that the versatility of the table-top vdW X-ray source goes beyond what has been demonstrated so far. By introducing a tilt angle between the vdW structure and the incident electron beam, it is theoretically and experimentally shown that the accessible photon energy range is more than doubled. This allows for greater versatility in real-time tuning of the vdW X-ray source. Furthermore, this work shows that the accessible photon energy range is maximized by simultaneously controlling both the electron energy and the vdW structure tilt. These results will pave the way for highly tunable, compact X-ray sources, with potential applications including hyperspectral X-ray fluoroscopy and X-ray quantum optics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunchao Huang
- School of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringNanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore639798Singapore
| | - Ruihuan Duan
- CINTRA CNRS/NTU/THALESUMI 3288Research Techno PlazaNanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore637371Singapore
| | - Nikhil Pramanik
- School of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringNanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore639798Singapore
| | - Chris Boothroyd
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore639798Singapore
- Facility for AnalysisCharacterisationTesting, and Simulation (FACTS)Nanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore639798Singapore
| | - Zheng Liu
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore639798Singapore
| | - Liang Jie Wong
- School of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringNanyang Technological University50 Nanyang AvenueSingapore639798Singapore
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10
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Tsarev M, Ryabov A, Baum P. Measurement of Temporal Coherence of Free Electrons by Time-Domain Electron Interferometry. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 127:165501. [PMID: 34723591 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.165501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The temporal properties of an electron beam are decisive for modern ultrafast electron microscopy and for the quantum optics of the free electron in laser fields. Here, we report a time-domain interferometer that measures and distinguishes the pure and ensemble coherences of a free-electron beam in a transmission electron microscope via symmetry-breaking shifts of photon-order sideband peaks. This result is a free-electron analog to the reconstruction of attosecond busts and photoemission delays in optical attosecond spectroscopy. We find a substantial pure electron coherence that is connected to the thermodynamics of the emitter material and a lower ensemble coherence that is governed by space-charge effects. Pure temporal coherences above 5 fs are measured at >10^{9} electrons per second in a high-brightness beam.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Tsarev
- Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - A Ryabov
- Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - P Baum
- Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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11
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Zhao Z, Leedle KJ, Black DS, Solgaard O, Byer RL, Fan S. Electron Pulse Compression with Optical Beat Note. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 127:164802. [PMID: 34723609 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.164802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Compressing electron pulses is important in many applications of electron beam systems. In this study, we propose to use optical beat notes to compress electron pulses. The beat frequency is chosen to match the initial electron pulse duration, which enables the compression of electron pulses with a wide range of durations. This functionality extends the optical control of electron beams, which is important in compact electron beam systems such as dielectric laser accelerators. We also find that the dominant frequency of the electron charge density changes continuously along its drift trajectory, which may open up new opportunities in coherent interaction between free electrons and quantum or classical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhexin Zhao
- Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Kenneth J Leedle
- Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Dylan S Black
- Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Olav Solgaard
- Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Robert L Byer
- Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Shanhui Fan
- Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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12
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Dahan R, Gorlach A, Haeusler U, Karnieli A, Eyal O, Yousefi P, Segev M, Arie A, Eisenstein G, Hommelhoff P, Kaminer I. Imprinting the quantum statistics of photons on free electrons. Science 2021; 373:eabj7128. [PMID: 34446445 DOI: 10.1126/science.abj7128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Dahan
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Solid State Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Alexey Gorlach
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Solid State Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Urs Haeusler
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Staudtstraße 1, Erlangen 91058, Germany
| | - Aviv Karnieli
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Solid State Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ori Eyal
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Solid State Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Peyman Yousefi
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Staudtstraße 1, Erlangen 91058, Germany
| | - Mordechai Segev
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Solid State Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Department of Physics, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Ady Arie
- School of Electrical Engineering, Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Gadi Eisenstein
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Solid State Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Peter Hommelhoff
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Staudtstraße 1, Erlangen 91058, Germany
| | - Ido Kaminer
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.,Solid State Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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13
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Karnieli A, Rivera N, Arie A, Kaminer I. Superradiance and Subradiance due to Quantum Interference of Entangled Free Electrons. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 127:060403. [PMID: 34420316 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.060403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
When multiple quantum emitters radiate, their emission rate may be enhanced or suppressed due to collective interference in a process known as super- or subradiance. Such processes are well known to occur also in light emission from free electrons, known as coherent cathodoluminescence. Unlike atomic systems, free electrons have an unbounded energy spectrum, and, thus, all their emission mechanisms rely on electron recoil, in addition to the classical properties of the dielectric medium. To date, all experimental and theoretical studies of super- and subradiance from free electrons assumed only classical correlations between particles. However, dependence on quantum correlations, such as entanglement between free electrons, has not been studied. Recent advances in coherent shaping of free-electron wave functions motivate the investigation of such quantum regimes of super- and subradiance. In this Letter, we show how a pair of coincident path-entangled electrons can demonstrate either super- or subradiant light emission, depending on the two-particle wave function. By choosing different free-electron Bell states, the spectrum and emission pattern of the light can be reshaped, in a manner that cannot be accounted for by a classical mixed state. We show these results for light emission in any optical medium and discuss their generalization to many-body quantum states. Our findings suggest that light emission can be sensitive to the explicit quantum state of the emitting matter wave and possibly serve as a nondestructive measurement scheme for measuring the quantum state of many-body systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviv Karnieli
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nicholas Rivera
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Ady Arie
- School of Electrical Engineering, Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ido Kaminer
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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14
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García
de Abajo FJ, Di Giulio V. Optical Excitations with Electron Beams: Challenges and Opportunities. ACS PHOTONICS 2021; 8:945-974. [PMID: 35356759 PMCID: PMC8939335 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.0c01950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Free electron beams such as those employed in electron microscopes have evolved into powerful tools to investigate photonic nanostructures with an unrivaled combination of spatial and spectral precision through the analysis of electron energy losses and cathodoluminescence light emission. In combination with ultrafast optics, the emerging field of ultrafast electron microscopy utilizes synchronized femtosecond electron and light pulses that are aimed at the sampled structures, holding the promise to bring simultaneous sub-Å-sub-fs-sub-meV space-time-energy resolution to the study of material and optical-field dynamics. In addition, these advances enable the manipulation of the wave function of individual free electrons in unprecedented ways, opening sound prospects to probe and control quantum excitations at the nanoscale. Here, we provide an overview of photonics research based on free electrons, supplemented by original theoretical insights and discussion of several stimulating challenges and opportunities. In particular, we show that the excitation probability by a single electron is independent of its wave function, apart from a classical average over the transverse beam density profile, whereas the probability for two or more modulated electrons depends on their relative spatial arrangement, thus reflecting the quantum nature of their interactions. We derive first-principles analytical expressions that embody these results and have general validity for arbitrarily shaped electrons and any type of electron-sample interaction. We conclude with some perspectives on various exciting directions that include disruptive approaches to noninvasive spectroscopy and microscopy, the possibility of sampling the nonlinear optical response at the nanoscale, the manipulation of the density matrices associated with free electrons and optical sample modes, and appealing applications in optical modulation of electron beams, all of which could potentially revolutionize the use of free electrons in photonics.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Javier García
de Abajo
- ICFO-Institut
de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute
of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA-Institució
Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- E-mail:
| | - Valerio Di Giulio
- ICFO-Institut
de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute
of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
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Kfir O, Di Giulio V, de Abajo FJG, Ropers C. Optical coherence transfer mediated by free electrons. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabf6380. [PMID: 33931451 PMCID: PMC8087403 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf6380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
We theoretically investigate the quantum-coherence properties of the cathodoluminescence (CL) emission produced by a temporally modulated electron beam. Specifically, we consider the quantum-optical correlations of CL produced by electrons that are previously shaped by a laser field. Our main prediction is the presence of phase correlations between the emitted CL field and the electron-modulating laser, even though the emission intensity and spectral profile are independent of the electron state. In addition, the coherence of the CL field extends to harmonics of the laser frequency. Since electron beams can be focused to below 1 Å, their ability to transfer optical coherence could enable the ultra-precise excitation, manipulation, and spectrally resolved probing of nanoscale quantum systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ofer Kfir
- University of Göttingen, IV. Physical Institute, Göttingen, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (MPIBPC), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Valerio Di Giulio
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Javier García de Abajo
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Claus Ropers
- University of Göttingen, IV. Physical Institute, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (MPIBPC), Göttingen, Germany
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