Partially coherent quantum degenerate electron matter waves

Sam Keramati, Eric Jones, Jeremy Armstrong, Herman Batelaan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The use of electron beams is ubiquitous; electron microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, electron lithography, and electron diffractometry all use these beams. On the other hand, quantum degenerate electron beams do not exist. The realization of such beams may impact electron beam technologies and are interesting to pursue. Past attempts to reach degeneracy were hampered by the low degeneracy of continuously emitting electron sources. With the recent advent of ultra-short electron pulses, high degeneracy is expected. Coulomb repulsion and low quantum coherence are hurdles that need to be overcome. A quantum analysis of the electron degeneracy for partially coherent pulsed electron sources is presented for source parameters that are currently available. The conclusive demonstration of the fermionic Hanbury Brown-Twiss (HBT) effect for free electrons is within reach, and our results support that femto-second nanotip electron sources, with partial coherence can manifest quantum degeneracy with appreciable signal-to-noise-ratios notwithstanding their small particle numbers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvances in Imaging and Electron Physics
PublisherAcademic Press Inc.
Pages3-26
Number of pages24
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020

Publication series

NameAdvances in Imaging and Electron Physics
Volume213
ISSN (Print)1076-5670

Keywords

  • Electron beam
  • Hanbury Brown-Twiss (HBT) effect
  • Partial coherence
  • Pauli exclusion principle (PEP)
  • Quantum coherence
  • Quantum degeneracy
  • Ultrashort pulse

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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