Ultrafast Voltage Sampling using Single-Electron Wavepackets

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel ultrafast voltage sampling method using single-electron wavepackets, achieving picosecond-scale interaction times and potentially reaching bandwidths over 100 GHz.

Contribution

The work presents a new electron-based voltage sampling technique with unprecedented temporal resolution and scalability for high-frequency applications.

Findings

Achieved voltage sampling interaction times as short as a few picoseconds.

Demonstrated the potential for sampling bandwidths exceeding 100 GHz.

Validated the method's capability to reconstruct test waveforms accurately.

Abstract

We demonstrate an ultrafast voltage sampling technique using a stream of electron wavepackets. Electrons are emitted from a single-electron pump and travel through electron waveguides towards a detector potential barrier. Our electrons sample an instantaneous voltage on the gate upon arrival at the detector barrier. Fast sampling is achieved by minimising the duration that the electrons interact with the barrier, which can be made as small as a few picoseconds. The value of the instantaneous voltage can be determined by varying the gate voltage to match the barrier height to the electron energy, which is used as a stable reference. The test waveform can be reconstructed by shifting the electron arrival time against it. We argue that this method has scope to increase the bandwidth of voltage sampling to 100 GHz and beyond.