Electron-beam-induced quantum interference effects in a multilevel quantum emitter
Open Access
- 17 July 2025
- journal article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review B
- Vol. 112 (4)
Abstract
Cathodoluminescence spectroscopy has recently emerged as a novel platform for nanoscale control of nonclassical features of light. Here, we propose a theoretical model for cathodoluminescence from a multilevel quantum emitter. Employing a master equation approach and treating the electron-beam excitation as an incoherent broadband field source, we show that quantum interference can arise between the different relaxation pathways. The induced interference can significantly modify the time-dependent spectra resulting in the enhancement or suppression of cathodoluminescence. We find that the excitation rate, initial state of the emitter, and excited level spacing play a crucial role in determining the influence of interference. Our findings shed light on electron-beam-induced quantum interference in cathodoluminescence and provides a theoretical basis for exploring quantum optical phenomena in electron-driven multilevel systems.Keywords
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Funding Information
- Volkswagen Foundation
- Horizon 2020 (802130)
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
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