Inelastic scattering of transversely structured free electrons from nanophotonic targets: Theory and computation

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Abstract
Recent advancements in abilities to create and manipulate the electron's transverse wave function within the transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning TEM have enabled vectorially resolved electron-energy-loss (EEL) and -gain (EEG) measurements of nanoscale and quantum material responses using pre- and postselected free-electron states. This newfound capability is prompting renewed theoretical interest in quantum-mechanical treatments of inelastic-electron-scattering observables and the information they contain. Here we present a quantum-mechanical treatment of the inelastic scattering of free electrons between pre- and postselected transverse states with fully retarded electron-sample interactions for both spontaneous EEL and continuous-wave laser-stimulated EEG measurements. General expressions for the state-resolved energy-loss and -gain rates are recast in forms amenable to numerical calculation using the method of coupled dipoles. We numerically implement our theory within the electron-driven discrete dipole approximation code and use it to investigate specific examples that highlight its versatility regarding the number, size, geometry, and material composition of the target specimen as well as its ability to describe matter-wave diffraction from finite nanoscopic targets.
Funding Information
  • U.S. Department of Energy (DOE BES DE-SC0022921)

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