Speaker
Description
Ultrafast electron microscopy has emerged as a research frontier, enabling the investigation of material excitations with an unparalleled combination of spatial and temporal resolution. Beyond their role as classical probes, free electrons have unique quantum properties that make them attractive resources for quantum nanophotonics and open fundamentally new avenues for quantum technologies. In this talk, we will discuss the fundamental principles governing the interactions among free electrons, light, and photonic nanostructures, with an emphasis on quantum phenomena such as electron decoherence induced by coupling to radiative modes and the generation and manipulation of quantum states of light. We will show how radiative decoherence can be harnessed for quantum sensing applications, including the interaction-free detection of distant objects and the measurement of vacuum temperature. We will also demonstrate how quantum correlations between electrons and waveguided polaritons enable the generation of single and entangled photons heralded by measurements of electron energy loss and angular deflection. Finally, we will discuss emerging opportunities for quantum sensing and metrology based on free electrons, as well as prospects for generating zeptosecond electron pulses to probe material excitations at unprecedented spatiotemporal scales.