Quantum 2025 – scientific programme

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MON: Monday Contributed Sessions

MON 16: Quantum Spectroscopy

MON 16.4: Talk

Monday, September 8, 2025, 17:15–17:30, ZHG004

Quantum interference effects in cathodoluminescence — •Hebrew Benhur Crispin and Nahid Talebi — Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel, Germany

Free electrons have emerged as a versatile tool for investigating the quantum properties of light at a nanoscale level. Recent advances in electron microscopy have made it possible to observe quantum optical phenomena, such as photon antibunching and superbunching, through the excitation of quantum emitters by an electron beam. This has sparked significant interest in understanding photon statistics and electron-emitter interactions in cathodoluminescence. Previous studies have largely relied on classical models, focusing on electron excitations of two-level quantum systems only.

Here, we introduce a theoretical model for cathodoluminescence from a multi-level quantum emitter. We derive a quantum optical master equation for the system by treating the free-electron beam excitation as an incoherent, broadband pump driving the emitter. We demonstrate that the existence of numerous transition pathways can result in quantum interference effects that significantly modify both the emitter dynamics and the time-resolved cathodoluminescence spectra. We demonstrate that the excitation rate, initial coherence and energy spacing between excited states are crucial parameters determining the influence of interference. Our work sheds light on free-electron-induced quantum interference in cathodoluminescence emission, providing a general framework with which to investigate quantum optical effects in the electron-beam excitation of multi-level quantum emitters.

Keywords: cathodoluminescence; quantum interference; quantum optics; spectroscopy; electron matter interaction