Energy modulation of nonrelativistic electrons with infrared evanescent waves

Optical evanescent waves which are induced on a metal microslit by illumination of a light have been utilized to modulate a low-energy electron beam at optical frequencies. Experiments performed at the wavelength of 10.6 /spl mu/m have shown that energy of electrons can be changed more than 10 eV for an electron beam with an initial energy of 80 keV by using a CO/sub 2/ laser beam with a peak power of 7 kW.