Observation of ionization in a crystal interferometer

Area of Science:

• Atomic Physics
• Quantum Mechanics
• Solid-State Physics

Background:

• Interference phenomena are fundamental in quantum mechanics.
• Atomic ionization cross sections are crucial for understanding atomic interactions.
• Electron scattering in crystals has applications in materials science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel interferometric setup for studying electron-atom interactions.
• To demonstrate the influence of electron interference on atomic ionization.
• To utilize crystal diffraction for precise measurements in atomic physics.

Main Methods:

• Development of a new interferometric setup using a fast electron probe.
• Employing a crystal as a target for core ionization and as a diffraction element.
• Detection of interference effects in the intensity of inelastically scattered electrons at Bragg angles.

Main Results:

• Observed interference of a fast probe electron influencing atomic ionization cross section.
• Successfully detected interference in the intensity of inelastically scattered electrons.
• Demonstrated the dual role of the crystal as target and optical element.

Conclusions:

• The presented setup enables the study of quantum interference effects in atomic ionization.
• Crystal diffraction provides a sensitive method for detecting electron interference.
• This work opens new avenues for probing electron-atom interactions with high precision.