A newly published correction in Light: Science & Applications is drawing renewed attention to a remarkable question at the intersection of quantum physics, nanotechnology and light: how can a free electron lose its quantum coherence through radiation, even when it is travelling far from the material or structure that generates the electromagnetic field? The study, titled “Radiative loss of coherence in free electrons: a long-range quantum phenomenon,” examines a subtle effect that could reshape how scientists understand electron-based imaging, spectroscopy and quantum technologies.
The correction was authored by C.I. Velasco, V. Di Giulio and F.J. García de Abajo, researchers known for investigating the interaction between electrons, light and nanostructured materials. Although a correction does not replace the central scientific subject of the original paper, it formally updates or clarifies aspects of the published record. In this case, the title highlights a phenomenon with unusually broad implications: radiative loss of coherence can occur through electromagnetic interactions extending over distances much larger than the scale of the electron’s immediate path.
In quantum mechanics, coherence describes the ability of different components of a quantum state to maintain a stable relationship with one another. This relationship is essential for interference, the defining signature of quantum behavior. When coherence is lost, the electron may still exist as a quantum object, but the information encoded in the phase relationship between alternative paths or states becomes less accessible. This process is commonly called decoherence, and it is one of the greatest challenges in quantum measurement and quantum information science.
Free electrons are often treated as simple, nearly independent particles. In reality, an electron moving through or near a material can interact with the electromagnetic field produced by that environment. It may emit radiation, exchange energy with optical excitations or become entangled with photons and other degrees of freedom. Once information about the electron’s state is carried away by radiation, the electron’s own quantum state can become less coherent, even if no direct collision occurs.
The key idea behind the reported phenomenon is that the interaction does not have to be local in the everyday sense. Electromagnetic fields can extend across space, and a moving electron can couple to those fields over a considerable distance. This means that two alternative electron trajectories, or two portions of a spatially extended electron wave packet, may radiate differently. The emitted light then carries information about which alternative occurred. In principle, an observer does not need to detect the photon for decoherence to take place; the mere availability of that information to the surrounding electromagnetic field can be enough.
This long-range mechanism is particularly important because electrons used in modern microscopes are not merely classical projectiles. In electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy, their wave nature determines the ultimate resolution and the interpretation of signals. If radiation modifies the electron’s coherence before or after it interacts with a sample, measurements may contain quantum effects that cannot be explained by energy loss alone. Two electrons with similar trajectories and energies could therefore produce different interference behavior depending on how strongly their radiation fields are coupled to the surrounding environment.
The phenomenon also connects electron physics with a broader principle of quantum electrodynamics: particles and fields cannot always be separated cleanly. A charged particle is inseparable from the electromagnetic field it creates and perturbs. As the electron moves, its field evolves, and radiation can act as a carrier of quantum information. The resulting loss of coherence is not necessarily caused by heating, random collisions or material defects. Instead, it may arise from the entanglement between the electron and the photons associated with its motion.
That insight could become increasingly relevant as researchers develop compact electron sources, ultrafast microscopes and hybrid platforms that combine free electrons with nanophotonic structures. Controlling radiative decoherence might allow scientists to preserve electron coherence for longer distances, improve the fidelity of electron–photon interactions or deliberately use emitted radiation to encode information. It may also help explain limits in experiments involving electron interferometry, quantum light generation and near-field optical manipulation.
The corrected publication serves as a reminder that precision in the scientific record matters, especially when a result touches several rapidly developing fields. Corrections allow authors and journals to clarify the details on which future calculations, experiments and interpretations may depend. While the central message remains focused on radiative loss of coherence, the broader implication is striking: a free electron can be influenced by quantum information carried through light across space, turning radiation into both a source of decoherence and a potential tool for controlling matter at the quantum scale.
Subject of Research: Radiative loss of quantum coherence in free electrons and long-range electron–photon interactions
Article Title: Correction: Radiative loss of coherence in free electrons: a long-range quantum phenomenon
Article References: Velasco, C.I., Di Giulio, V. & García de Abajo, F.J. Correction: Radiative loss of coherence in free electrons: a long-range quantum phenomenon. Light Sci Appl 15, 337 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-026-02376-5
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1038/s41377-026-02376-5
Keywords: Free electrons, quantum coherence, radiative decoherence, quantum electrodynamics, electron–photon interaction, electron microscopy, nanophotonics, quantum information
