We present the first observation of the quantum nature of the Cherenkov effect, by phasematching light & electron waves. Interacting coherently along hundreds of microns, each electron simultaneously absorbs and emits hundreds of photon quanta.
We show that pulsed laser-driven free electrons undergo quantum walk with coherent uncertainty in the electron energy levels, characterized by their spread. We study this quantum walk experimentally and develop its analytic theory.
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