Quantum Seminar: Quantum Optics with Free Electrons

Zoom: https://tau-ac-il.zoom.us/j/82245900781

Abstract:

Until recently, work in quantum optics focused on light interacting with bound-electron systems such as atoms, quantum dots, and nonlinear optical crystals. In contrast, free-electron systems enable fundamentally different physical phenomena, as their energy distribution is continuous and not discrete, allowing for tunable transitions and selection rules. We have developed a platform for studying free-electron quantum optics at the nanoscale. We demonstrated it by observing the first coherent interaction of a free electron with a photonic cavity and first interaction with the quantum statistics of photons. These capabilities open new paths toward using free electrons as carriers of quantum information and for measurement of quantum coherence of individual quantum systems.

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