Unity-order coupling between free electrons and multiphoton waveguided Fock states

Abstract

Electron beams enable highly localized near-field excitation of waveguided optical modes, yet their coupling is typically limited by short interaction times along straight-line trajectories with fixed impact parameters. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that electrostatic steering overcomes this limitation by introducing a tunable turning point in grazing electron trajectories, thus controlling the minimum electron--waveguide separation and producing strong coupling to waveguided modes. Specifically, we consider a biased rectangular silicon waveguide, where a repulsive static field deflects a grazing electron. In this configuration, the electron turning point governs both the coupling strength and the modal selectivity, which can be dynamically tuned through the electron incidence angle and the applied bias. In addition, the aloof electron--waveguide interaction suppresses lossy high-energy channels (e.g., above the silicon band gap) while preserving substantial excitation of the targeted waveguided modes. Using a practical biasing configuration and 100~keV electrons, we predict an average yield exceeding ten photons per electron, with voltage-tunable control of the interaction. Our results establish electrostatic steering as a practical route for engineering and enhancing free-electron coupling to waveguided photonic modes.