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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.17463 |
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| _version_ | 1866917282662318080 |
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| author | Chahshouri, Fatemeh Ebel, Sven Funk, Mitja Talebi, Nahid |
| author_facet | Chahshouri, Fatemeh Ebel, Sven Funk, Mitja Talebi, Nahid |
| contents | Free-electron interactions with light and matter have long served as a cornerstone for exploring the quantum and ultrafast dynamics of material excitation. In recent years, this paradigm has evolved from a classical description of radiation and acceleration toward a fully quantum framework, transforming our understanding of light-matter interactions at the single-electron level. These advances have opened new opportunities in high-resolution imaging, ultrafast spectroscopy, interferometry, and the coherent shaping of electron wavepackets. This review surveys stimulated interactions between slow electrons and light, encompassing free-space and near-field mediated mechanisms. We discuss how free-space optical fields coherently modulate electron momentum and energy, and how near-field coupling in nanophotonic and plasmonic structures enables strong, phase-matched, efficient momentum exchange with the electron wavepacket. We further describe electron recoil, which is significant in the slow-electron regime, and temporal and spatial wavepacket shaping that enhances coupling efficiency and extends access to quantum-coherent regimes. Building on these foundations, we outline emerging frameworks including hybrid optical-electrostatic modulation, ponderomotive laser-based aberration correction, and optical electron interferometry. By unifying these developments, stimulated electron-light interactions provide a versatile route to precise beam control, quantum-state engineering, and tailored light-matter coupling, with implications for ultrafast spectroscopy, nanoscale metrology, attosecond pulse generation, electron-photon entanglement, and the creation of nonclassical states of light. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_17463 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Stimulated interactions of low-energy free-electrons with light Chahshouri, Fatemeh Ebel, Sven Funk, Mitja Talebi, Nahid Optics Free-electron interactions with light and matter have long served as a cornerstone for exploring the quantum and ultrafast dynamics of material excitation. In recent years, this paradigm has evolved from a classical description of radiation and acceleration toward a fully quantum framework, transforming our understanding of light-matter interactions at the single-electron level. These advances have opened new opportunities in high-resolution imaging, ultrafast spectroscopy, interferometry, and the coherent shaping of electron wavepackets. This review surveys stimulated interactions between slow electrons and light, encompassing free-space and near-field mediated mechanisms. We discuss how free-space optical fields coherently modulate electron momentum and energy, and how near-field coupling in nanophotonic and plasmonic structures enables strong, phase-matched, efficient momentum exchange with the electron wavepacket. We further describe electron recoil, which is significant in the slow-electron regime, and temporal and spatial wavepacket shaping that enhances coupling efficiency and extends access to quantum-coherent regimes. Building on these foundations, we outline emerging frameworks including hybrid optical-electrostatic modulation, ponderomotive laser-based aberration correction, and optical electron interferometry. By unifying these developments, stimulated electron-light interactions provide a versatile route to precise beam control, quantum-state engineering, and tailored light-matter coupling, with implications for ultrafast spectroscopy, nanoscale metrology, attosecond pulse generation, electron-photon entanglement, and the creation of nonclassical states of light. |
| title | Stimulated interactions of low-energy free-electrons with light |
| topic | Optics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.17463 |