Quantum mechanical double slit for molecular scattering
Quantum mechanical double slit for molecular scattering
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DOI：
10.1126/science.abl4143
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发表时间：
2021-11
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
Haowen Zhou;William E. Perreault;N. Mukherjee;R. Zare
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Haowen Zhou;William E. Perreault;N. Mukherjee;R. Zare
描述分子态的双缝尽管经过了几十年的研究，量子力学效应在分子散射中的作用尚未得到充分的研究，即使对于简单的三原子系统，仍然可以证明迷人的结果。Zhou等人表明，氘分子双轴态中的纠缠键轴取向可以作为双缝干涉仪的两个狭缝，用于与氦原子的旋转非弹性碰撞，从而在两个不可区分的路径之间产生量子干涉（参见Wang和Yang的观点）。目前的工作提出了一个优雅的例子，量子干涉分子散射，在概念上类似于著名的杨氏光学双缝实验。该分子干涉仪可用于各种分子过程的相位相干控制。-YS D2与He的非弹性散射中的可控量子干涉类似于著名的杨氏双缝实验。在双缝实验中观察到的干涉最能说明粒子的波动特性。利用斯塔克诱导绝热拉曼通道，对处于双轴（v = 2，j = 2）态的氘分子（D2）进行旋振激发，构建了量子力学双缝干涉仪，其中v和j分别代表振动和转动量子数.在D2（v = 2，j = 2）→ D2（v = 2，j′ = 0）转动弛豫中，双轴态中两个相干耦合的键轴取向就像两个狭缝，产生了两条不可分辨的量子力学路径，连接碰撞系统的初态和终态。当我们通过分别构造D2的单轴态来解耦键轴的两个取向时，干涉消失，明确地建立了双轴态的双缝作用。这种双缝为分子碰撞的相干控制开辟了新的可能性。
Description Double slits with molecular states Despite decades of research, the role of quantum mechanical effects in molecular scattering has not yet been fully investigated and can still demonstrate fascinating results, even for simple triatomic systems. Zhou et al. show that the entangled bond axis orientations in the biaxial state of a deuterium molecule can act as the two slits of a double-slit interferometer for rotationally inelastic collision with a helium atom, giving rise to quantum interference between two indistinguishable pathways (see the Perspective by Wang and Yang). The present work presents an elegant example of quantum interference in molecular scattering that is conceptually similar to the famous Young’s optical double-slit experiment. The proposed molecular interferometer could be used to coherently control the phases in various molecular processes in future experiments. —YS Controllable quantum interference in inelastic scattering of D2from He resembles the famous Young’s double-slit experiment. Interference observed in a double-slit experiment most conclusively demonstrates the wave properties of particles. We construct a quantum mechanical double-slit interferometer by rovibrationally exciting molecular deuterium (D2) in a biaxial (v = 2, j = 2) state using Stark-induced adiabatic Raman passage, where v and j represent the vibrational and rotational quantum numbers, respectively. In D2 (v = 2, j = 2) → D2 (v = 2, j′ = 0) rotational relaxation via a cold collision with ground state helium, the two coherently coupled bond axis orientations in the biaxial state act as two slits that generate two indistinguishable quantum mechanical pathways connecting initial and final states of the colliding system. The interference disappears when we decouple the two orientations of the bond axis by separately constructing the uniaxial states of D2, unequivocally establishing the double-slit action of the biaxial state. This double slit opens new possibilities in the coherent control of molecular collisions.