Modulating Electron Beam–Sample Interactions in Imaging and Diffraction Modes by Dose Fractionation with Low Dose Rates

Technological opportunities are explored to enhance detection schemes in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) that build on the detection of single-electron scattering events across the typical spectrum of interdisciplinary applications. They range from imaging with high spatiotemporal resolution to diffraction experiments at the window to quantum mechanics, where the wave-particle dualism of single electrons is evident. At the ultimate detection limit, where isolated electrons are delivered to interact with solids, we find that the beam current dominates damage processes instead of the deposited electron charge, which can be exploited to modify electron beam-induced sample alterations. The results are explained by assuming that all electron scattering are inelastic and include phonon excitation that can hardly be distinguished from elastic electron scattering. Consequently, a coherence length and a related coherence time exist that reflect the interaction of the electron with the sample and change linearly with energy loss. Phonon excitations are of small energy (<100 meV), but they occur frequently and scale with beam current in the irradiated area, which is why we can detect their contribution to beam-induced sample alterations and damage.

The Influece of The Laser on Acoustic Phonon Amplification in Parabolic Potential Well

We present a theoretical study of the kinetic equation for acoustic phonons in semiconductor quantum well with parabolic potential well under intense laser field. Using this method, we find the expression for the phonon rate coefficient for the general case, the condition of the acoustic phonon rate and the influence of the parameters of laser on this rate coefficient. We numerically calculate the rate of acoustic phonon excitation by the absorption of laser field energy at different temperature.

Energy transfer to the phonons of a macromolecule through light pumping

In the present paper we address the problem of the energy downconversion of the light absorbed by a protein into its internal vibrational modes. We consider the case in which the light receptors are fluorophores either naturally co-expressed with the protein or artificially covalently bound to some of its amino acids. In a recent work [Phys. Rev. X 8, 031061 (2018)], it has been experimentally found that by shining a laser light on the fluorophores attached to a protein the energy fed to it can be channeled into the normal mode of lowest frequency of vibration thus making the subunits of the protein coherently oscillate. Even if the phonon condensation phenomenon has been theoretically explained, the first step - the energy transfer from electronic excitation into phonon excitation - has been left open. The present work is aimed at filling this gap.

Energy Transfer to the Phonons of A Macromolecule Through Light Pumping

In the present paper we address the problem of the energy downconversion of the light absorbed by a protein into its internal vibrational modes. We consider the case in which the light receptors are fluorophores either naturally co-expressed with the protein or artificially covalently bound to some of its amino acids. In a recent work [Phys. Rev. X 8, 031061 (2018)], it has been experimentally found that by shining a laser light on the fluorophores attached to a protein the energy fed to it can be channeled into the normal mode of lowest frequency of vibration thus making the subunits of the protein coherently oscillate. Even if the phonon condensation phenomenon has been theoretically explained, the first step - the energy transfer from electronic excitation into phonon excitation - has been left open. The present work is aimed at filling this gap.

Dynamical amplification of electric polarization through nonlinear phononics in 2D SnTe

Ultrafast optical control of ferroelectricity using intense terahertz fields has attracted significant interest. Here we show that the nonlinear interactions between two optical phonons in SnTe, a two-dimensional in-plane ferroelectric material, enables a dynamical amplification of the electric polarization within subpicoseconds time domain. Our first-principles time-dependent simulations show that the infrared-active out-of-plane phonon mode, pumped to nonlinear regimes, spontaneously generates in-plane motions, leading to rectified oscillations in the in-plane electric polarization. We suggest that this dynamical control of ferroelectric material, by nonlinear phonon excitation, can be utilized to achieve ultrafast control of the photovoltaic or other nonlinear optical responses.