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Electron interferometry with nano-gratings

Alexander D. Cronin·Ben McMorran
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Abstract

We present an electron interferometer based on near-field diffraction from two nanostructure gratings. Lau fringes are observed with an imaging detector, and revivals in the fringe visibility occur as the separation between gratings is increased from 0 to 3 mm. This verifies that electron beams diffracted by nanostructures remain coherent after propagating farther than the Talbot length $z_T = 2d^2/\lambda$ = 1.2 mm, and hence is a proof of principle for the function of a Talbot-Lau interferometer for electrons. Distorted fringes due to a phase object demonstrates an application for this new type of electron interferometer.

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Alexander D. Cronin, Ben McMorran. 2006-09-08. Electron interferometry with nano-gratings. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.74.061602

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