Non-destructive electron microscopy through interaction-free quantum measurement

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-57).In this thesis, the possibility of interaction-free quantum measurements with electrons is investigated. With a scheme based on existing charged particle trapping techniques, it is demonstrated that such interaction-free measurements are possible in the presence of previously measured quantum decoherence rates, and the efficiency of the measurement scheme and the absorption probability are estimated. Use of such interaction-free measurements with electrons in imaging applications could dramatically reduce sample damage induced by electron-exposure, which might allow non-destructive, molecular-resolution electron microscopy.by William P. Putnam.M.Eng