Ultrafast and quantum photonics with free electrons

At the intersection between electron microscopy and ultrafast optics, ultrafast electron microscopy has emerged as a research frontier aiming to investigate material excitations with an unprecedented combination of spatiotemporal resolution. In this context, we will discuss the fundamental principles ruling the interactions between free electrons, light, and photonic nanostructures, with an emphasis on exploring ultrafast and quantum phenomena in nanomaterials, as well as leveraging the quantum nature of free electrons to perform sensing and metrology with unprecedented resolution.