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PreprintarXiv licencearXiv

Laser-induced phase shift of swift electrons

  • Christian Dwyer
  • David M. Paganin
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Abstract

We revisit the calculation of the phase shift experienced by swift electrons on passing through the electromagnetic field of a laser. Such phase shifts are now utilized in the form of `laser phase plates' in transmission electron microscopes (TEMs), for example. We calculate the phase shift using three different methods, namely, perturbation theory applied to the Dirac equation, the Volkov solution to the Klein-Gordon equation, and the relativistic Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We find that all three methods are in agreement, and that the calculated phase shift is independent of the relative orientation of the electron and laser beams. The agreement between the quantum and classical theories is explained. The duality between the phase shifts experienced by electrons, photons and neutrons is described. Our Lorentz invariant result for the phase shift differs from certain results published in the literature.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@misc{dwyer2026laserinduced,
  title = {{Laser-induced phase shift of swift electrons}},
  author = {Christian Dwyer and David M. Paganin},
  howpublished = {arXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.02099},
  eprint = {2609.02099},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.02099},
}
RIS
TY  - UNPB
TI  - Laser-induced phase shift of swift electrons
AU  - Christian Dwyer
AU  - David M. Paganin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/15
PB  - arXiv
DO  - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.02099
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.02099
AB  - We revisit the calculation of the phase shift experienced by swift electrons on passing through the electromagnetic field of a laser. Such phase shifts are now utilized in the form of `laser phase plates' in transmission electron microscopes (TEMs), for example. We calculate the phase shift using three different methods, namely, perturbation theory applied to the Dirac equation, the Volkov solution to the Klein-Gordon equation, and the relativistic Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We find that all three methods are in agreement, and that the calculated phase shift is independent of the relative orientation of the electron and laser beams. The agreement between the quantum and classical theories is explained. The duality between the phase shifts experienced by electrons, photons and neutrons is described. Our Lorentz invariant result for the phase shift differs from certain results published in the literature.
ER  -