Proposal for Electron Quantum Spin Talbot Effect

Abstract

We propose a spin polarized Talbot effect for an electron beam scattered from a grating of magnetic nanostructures. Existing periodic magnetic nanostructures can be used in conjunction with electron-beam illumination to create a spin polarized replica of the transversely periodic exit surface beam a Talbot length away. Experiments have been proposed to verify the effect in a two dimensional electron gas and an atomically flat surface by spin polarized scanning probe microscopy. This effect provides a new route to modulate electron spin distributions in two dimensional space.