arXiv subjects

Ady Arie

Publications and source records attributed to Ady Arie.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Super- and subradiance by entangled free particles

When multiple quantum emitters radiate, their emission rate may be enhanced or suppressed due to collective interference in a process known as super- or subradiance. Such processes are well-known to occur also in light emission by free charged particles. To date, all experimental and theoretical studies of super- and subradiance in these systems involved the classical correlations between the emitters. However, dependence on quantum correlations, such as entanglement between different emitting particles, has not been studied. Recent advances in coherent-shaping of free-electron wavefunctions motivate the investigation of such quantum regimes of super- and subradiance. In this Letter, we show how a pair of coincident path-entangled electrons can demonstrate either super- or subradiant light emission, depending on the two-particle wavefunction. By choosing different free-electron Bell-states, the spectrum and emission pattern of the light can be reshaped, in a manner that cannot be accounted for by a classical mixed state. We show these results for light emission in any optical medium, and discuss their generalization to many-body quantum states. Our findings suggest that light emission can be sensitive to the explicit quantum state of the emitting matter wave, and possibly serve as a non-destructive measurement scheme for measuring the quantum state of many-body systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Light emission is fundamentally tied to the quantum coherence of the emitting particle

Coherent emission of light by free charged particles is ubiquitous in many areas of physics and engineering, with the light's properties believed to be successfully captured by classical electromagnetism in all relevant experimental settings. The advent of interactions between light and free quantum matter waves brought about fundamental questions regarding the role of the particle wavefunction. Here we show that even in seemingly classical experimental regimes, light emission is fundamentally tied to quantum properties of the emitting particles, such as their quantum coherence and correlations. By employing quantum electrodynamics, we unveil the role of the particle's coherent momentum uncertainty, without which decoherence of light becomes dominant. As an example, we consider Cherenkov radiation, envisioned for almost a century as a shockwave of light. We find instead that the shockwave's duration is fundamentally bound from below by the particle's coherent momentum uncertainty due to the underlying entanglement between the particle and light. This quantum optical paradigm opens new capabilities in analytical electron microscopy, enabling the measurement of quantum correlations of shaped electron wavepackets. Our findings also have applications for Cherenkov detectors in particle physics. For example, by measuring spectral photon autocorrelations, one can unveil the particle's wavefunction size, shape and coherence. Such schemes are especially intriguing for many high-energy particles, where other techniques are not available.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Adiabatic geometric phase in fully nonlinear three-wave mixing

In a nonlinear three-wave mixing process, the interacting waves can accumulate an adiabatic geometric phase (AGP) if the nonlinear coefficient of the crystal is modulated in a proper manner along the nonlinear crystal. This concept was studied so far only for the case in which the pump wave is much stronger than the two other waves, hence can be assumed to be constant. Here we extend this analysis for the fully nonlinear process, in which all three waves can be depleted and we show that the sign and magnitude of the AGP can be controlled by the period, phase and duty cycle of the nonlinear modulation pattern. In this fully nonlinear interaction, all the states of the system can be mapped onto a closed surface. Specifically, we study a process in which the eigenstate of the system follows a circular rotation on the surface. Our analysis reveals that the AGP equals to the difference between the total phase accumulated along the circular trajectory and that along its vertical projection, which is universal for the undepleted (linear) and depleted (nonlinear) cases. Moreover, the analysis reveals that the AGPs in the processes of sum-frequency generation and difference-frequency generation have opposite chirality. Finally, we utilize the AGP in the fully nonlinear case for splitting the beam into different diffraction orders in the far field.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Broadband and robust adiabatic second-harmonic generation by a temperature gradient in birefringently phase-matched lithium triborate crystal

Phase-matched nonlinear processes exhibit a tradeoff between the conversion efficiency and the acceptance bandwidth. Adiabatic nonlinear processes, in which the phase mismatch varies slowly along the interaction length, enable us to overcome this tradeoff, allowing an efficient frequency conversion with broad spectral and thermal bandwidths. Until now, the variation in the phase mismatch condition was mainly based on quasi-phase matching in ferroelectric crystals. However, this solution is limited to low power sources. Here, instead, we study the adiabatic second harmonic in birefringently phase-matched lithium triborate crystal, enabling us to handle much higher power levels. The variation in the phase mismatch is achieved by inducing a temperature gradient along the crystal. By using a 50 mm long crystal, the adiabatic process provided a temperature bandwidth of 18-celsius degrees, 5.4 times wider than what is achieved when the same crystal is held at the fixed phasematching temperature. The conversion efficiency exceeded 60% for a 0.9 millijoule pump pulse.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Spectral and spatial shaping of Smith Purcell Radiation

The Smith Purcell effect, observed when an electron beam passes in the vicinity of a periodic structure, is a promising platform for the generation of electromagnetic radiation in previously-unreachable spectral ranges. However, most of the studies of this radiation were performed on simple periodic gratings, whose radiation spectrum exhibits a single peak and its higher harmonics predicted by a well-established dispersion relation. Here, we propose a method to shape the spatial and spectral far-field distribution of the radiation using complex periodic and aperiodic gratings. We show, theoretically and experimentally, that engineering multiple peak spectra with controlled widths located at desired wavelengths is achievable using Smith-Purcell radiation. Our method opens the way to free-electron driven sources with tailored angular and spectral response, and gives rise to focusing functionality for spectral ranges where lenses are unavailable or inefficient.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Spherical aberration correction in a scanning transmission electron microscope using a sculpted foil

Nearly twenty years ago, following a sixty year struggle, scientists succeeded in correcting the bane of electron lenses, spherical aberration, using electromagnetic aberration correction. However, such correctors necessitate re-engineering of the electron column, additional space, a power supply, water cooling, and other requirements. Here, we show how modern nanofabrication techniques can be used to surpass the resolution of an uncorrected scanning transmission electron microscope more simply by sculpting a foil of material into a refractive corrector that negates spherical aberration. This corrector can be fabricated at low cost using a simple process and installed on existing electron microscopes without changing their hardware, thereby providing an immediate upgrade to spatial resolution. Using our corrector, we reveal features of Si and Cu samples that cannot be resolved in the uncorrected microscope.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Particle manipulation beyond the diffraction limit using structured super-oscillating light beams

The diffraction limited resolution of light focused by a lens was derived in 1873 by Ernst Abbe. Later in 1952, a method to reach sub-diffraction light spots was proposed by modulating the wavefront of the focused beam. In a related development, super-oscillating functions, i.e. band limited functions that locally oscillate faster than their highest Fourier component, were introduced and experimentally applied for super-resolution microscopy. Up till now, only simple Gaussian-like sub-diffraction spots were used. Here we show that the amplitude and phase profile of these sub-diffraction spots can be arbitrarily controlled. In particular we utilize Hermite-Gauss, Laguerre-Gauss and Airy functions to structure super-oscillating beams with sub-diffraction lobes. These structured beams are then used for high resolution trapping and manipulation of nanometer-sized particles. The trapping potential provides unprecedented localization accuracy and stiffness, significantly exceeding those provided by standard diffraction limited beams.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

3D shaping of electron beams using amplitude masks

Shaping the electron wavefunction in three dimensions may prove to be an indispensable tool for research involving atomic-sized particle trapping, manipulation, and synthesis. We utilize computer-generated holograms to sculpt electron wavefunctions in a standard transmission electron microscope in 3D, and demonstrate the formation of electron beams exhibiting high intensity along specific trajectories as well as shaping the beam into a 3D lattice of hot-spots. The concepts presented here are similar to those used in light optics for trapping and tweezing of particles, but at atomic scale resolutions.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2016

Super-oscillating Electron Wave Functions with Sub-diffraction Spots

Almost one and a half centuries ago, Ernst Abbe [1] and shortly after Lord Rayleigh [2] showed that when an optical lens is illuminated by a plane wave, a diffraction-limited spot with a radius 0.61*lambda/sin(alpha) is obtained, where lambda is the wavelength and alpha is the semi-angle of the beam's convergence cone. However, spots with much smaller features can be obtained at the focal plane when the lens is illuminated by an appropriately structured beam. Whereas this concept is known for light beam, here, we show how to realize it for massive-particle wave function of a free electron. We experimentally demonstrate an electron central spot of radius 106 pm, which is more than two times smaller than the diffraction limit of the experimental setup used. In addition, we demonstrate that this central spot can be structured by adding orbital angular momentum to it. The resulting super-oscillating vortex beam has a smaller dark core with respect to the regular vortex beam. This new family of electron beams having hot-spots with arbitrarily small features and tailored structure can be useful for studying electron-matter interactions with sub-atomic resolution.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Unveiling the orbital angular momentum and acceleration of electron beams

New forms of electron beams have been intensively investigated recently, including vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum, as well as Airy beams propagating along a parabolic trajectory. Their traits may be harnessed for applications in materials science, electron microscopy and interferometry, and so it is important to measure their properties with ease. Here we show how one may immediately quantify these beams' parameters without need for additional fabrication or non-standard microscopic tools. Our experimental results are backed by numerical simulations and analytic derivation.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2014

Sculpturing the Electron Wave Function

Coherent electrons such as those in electron microscopes, exhibit wave phenomena and may be described by the paraxial wave equation. In analogy to light-waves, governed by the same equation, these electrons share many of the fundamental traits and dynamics of photons. Today, spatial manipulation of electron beams is achieved mainly using electrostatic and magnetic fields. Other demonstrations include simple phase-plates and holographic masks based on binary diffraction gratings. Altering the spatial profile of the beam may be proven useful in many fields incorporating phase microscopy, electron holography, and electron-matter interactions. These methods, however, are fundamentally limited due to energy distribution to undesired diffraction orders as well as by their binary construction. Here we present a new method in electron-optics for arbitrarily shaping of electron beams, by precisely controlling an engineered pattern of thicknesses on a thin-membrane, thereby molding the spatial phase of the electron wavefront. Aided by the past decade's monumental leap in nano-fabrication technology and armed with light-optic's vast experience and knowledge, one may now spatially manipulate an electron beam's phase in much the same way light waves are shaped simply by passing them through glass elements such as refractive and diffractive lenses. We show examples of binary and continuous phase-plates and demonstrate the ability to generate arbitrary shapes of the electron wave function using a holographic phase-mask. This opens exciting new possibilities for microscopic studies of materials using shaped electron beams and enables electron beam lithography without the need to move the electron beam or the sample, as well as high resolution inspection of electronic chips by structured electron illumination.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Arbitrary Bending Plasmonic Light Waves

We demonstrate the generation of self-accelerating surface plasmon beams along arbitrary caustic curvatures. These plasmonic beams are excited by free-space beams through a two-dimensional binary plasmonic phase mask, which provides the missing momentum between the two beams in the direction of propagation, and sets the required phase for the plasmonic beam in the transverse direction. We examine the cases of paraxial and non-paraxial curvatures and show that this highly versatile scheme can be designed to produce arbitrary plasmonic self-accelerating beams. Several different plasmonic beams, which accelerate along polynomial and exponential trajectories, are demonstrated both numerically and experimentally, with a direct measurement of the plasmonic light intensity using a near-field-scanning-optical-microscope.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Efficient, Broadband and Robust Frequency Conversion by Fully Nonlinear Adiabatic Three Wave Mixing

A comprehensive physical model of adiabatic three wave mixing is developed for the fully nonlinear regime, i.e. without making the undepleted pump approximation. The conditions for adiabatic evolution are rigorously derived, together with an estimate of the bandwidth of the process. Furthermore, these processes are shown to be robust and efficient. Finally, numerical simulations demonstrate adiabatic frequency conversion in a wide variety of physically attainable configurations.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Efficient frequency conversion through absorptive bands of the nonlinear crystal

Two simultaneous three wave mixing processes are analyzed, where an input frequency is converted to an output frequency via an intermediate stage. By employing simultaneous phase-matching and an adiabatic modulation of the nonlinear coupling strengths, the intermediate frequency is kept dark throughout the interaction, while obtaining high conversion efficiency. This feat is accomplished in a manner analogous to population transfer in atomic stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). Applications include conversion between remote frequencies, e.g. mid-IR to visible, and study of electronic crystal properties in the UV absorption band.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Self accelerating electron Airy beams

We report the first experimental generation and observation of Airy beams of free electrons. The electron Airy beams are generated by diffraction of electrons through a nanoscale hologram, that imprints a cubic phase modulation on the beams' transverse plane. We observed the spatial evolution dynamics of an arc-shaped, self accelerating and shape preserving electron Airy beams. We directly observed the ability of electrons to self-heal, restoring their original shape after passing an obstacle. This electromagnetic method opens up new avenues for steering electrons, like their photonic counterparts, since their wave packets can be imprinted with arbitrary shapes or trajectories. Furthermore, these beams can be easily manipulated using magnetic or electric potentials. It is also possible to efficiently self mix narrow beams having opposite signs of acceleration, hence obtaining a new type of electron interferometer.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2011

Spatial quadratic solitons guided by narrow layers of a nonlinear material

We report analytical solutions for spatial solitons supported by layers of a quadratically nonlinear material embedded into a linear planar waveguide. A full set of symmetric, asymmetric, and antisymmetric modes pinned to a symmetric pair of the nonlinear layers is obtained. The solutions describe a bifurcation of the subcritical type, which accounts for the transition from the symmetric to asymmetric modes. The antisymmetric states (which do not undergo the bifurcation) are completely stable (the stability of the solitons pinned to the embedded layers is tested by means of numerical simulations). Exact solutions are also found for nonlinear layers embedded into a nonlinear waveguide, including the case when the uniform and localized nonlinearities have opposite signs (competing nonlinearities). For the layers embedded into the nonlinear medium, stability properties are explained by comparison to the respective cascading limit.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2009

Quasiphasematched concurrent nonlinearities in periodically poled KTiOPO_4 for quantum computing over the optical frequency comb

We report the successful design and experimental implementation of three coincident nonlinear interactions, namely ZZZ ("type-0"), ZYY (type-I), and YYZ/YZY (type-II) second harmonic generation of 780 nm light from a 1560 nm pump beam in a single, multigrating, periodically poled KTiOPO_4 crystal. The resulting nonlinear medium is the key component for making a scalable quantum computer over the optical frequency comb of a single optical parametric oscillator.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

Geometrical Representation of Sum Frequency Generation and Adiabatic Frequency Conversion

We present a geometrical representation of sum frequency generation process in the undepleted pump approximation. The analogy of such dynamics with the known optical Bloch equations is discussed. We use this analogy to present a novel technique for the achievement of both high efficiency and large bandwidth in a sum frequency conversion processes using adiabatic inversion scheme, adapted from NMR and light-matter interaction. The adiabatic constraints are derived in this context. Last, this adiabatic frequency conversion scheme is realized experimentally by a proper design of adiabatic aperiodically poled KTP device, using quasi phased matched method. In the experiments we achieved high efficiency signal to idler conversion over a bandwidth of 140nm.

physics.optics↗