SFB 1319: Extreme light for sensing and driving molecular chirality (ELCH)

分子的手性——一个分子的左旋和右旋几乎共享所有的物理性质，但在化学和生物行为上却有巨大的不同——给整个自然科学带来了智力上的挑战。例如，分子手性与生命的组成部分有关，在医学和健康中起着至关重要的作用。我们的CRC侧重于一个不同但同样基本的方面。通过ELCH，我们建立了一个研究中心，旨在对气相中的手性分子进行微观和量子力学的理解。为此，最先进的实验和理论原子和分子物理学工具，以及量子光学（AMO），被用于控制和驱动孤立的单分子水平的手性。利用电磁辐射，我们解决了由电子和原子核组成的整个分子系统，并为手性分子物理提供了一个独特的光驱动气相实验室。在第一个资助期，ELCH促进了40多个合作，这些合作在四个长期目标方面取得了几项重要成就：(i)部分库仑爆炸与光电子衍射的结合是确定绝对构型的突破，允许瞄准更大的分子。（ii）作为一套先进仪器的一部分，实现了一种基于高分辨率激光的方法，用于测定对映体过量。它适用于混合物和定型物，并可能改变化学家的常规仪器。（iii）外消旋体的对映体选择性激发是手性纯化的关键先决条件，一项开创性的实验证明已经得到了实现完全选择性的理论建议的补充。（iv）使用RaF原型的短寿命放射性分子的激光光谱演示为基础物理实验开辟了新的视角，因为手性分子中的奇偶违反相互作用的强度随着原子序数的增加而急剧增加。除了我们的科学目标之外，我们还在这个CRC中追求另外三个关键目标。我们的战略目标是加强卡塞尔和参与机构的AMO物理。在第二个资助期，两个新项目加强了卡塞尔办事处的核心能力，一个是根据W2最近的任命，另一个是培养一名年轻研究人员的独立性。我们的教育目标是在一个高度动态的AMO科学领域为学生和博士后提供最好的培训。为了吸引学生，吸引他们学习自然科学，我们将实施一项为学校编写并在全国范围内分发的现代教材的转移工程。我们的性别平等目标利用了Universität卡塞尔和我们的合作机构的现有基础设施，已经处于高水平，并通过物理特定组件来实现。

Molecular chirality – the fact that left-handed and right-handed versions of a molecule share almost all of their physical properties yet differ dramatically in their chemical and biological behavior – poses intellectual challenges across the natural sciences. For example, molecular chirality is relevant to the building blocks of life and plays a vital role in medicine and health. Our CRC focuses on a different yet equally fundamental aspect. With ELCH, we have established a center of research targeting a microscopic and quantum me-chanical understanding of chiral molecules in the gas phase. To this end, the most advanced tools of experimental and theoretical atomic and molecular physics, as well as quantum optics (AMO), are used to control and drive chirality at the isolated single-molecule level. Using electromagnetic radiation, we address the entire molecular system consisting of electrons and nuclei and provide a unique light-driven gas-phase laboratory for chiral molecular physics. In the first funding period, ELCH has fostered more than 40 collaborations, which have resulted in several important achievements towards four long-term goals: (i) Combination of partial Coulomb explosion with photo-electron diffraction is a breakthrough towards the determination of absolute configuration, allowing to target larger molecules. (ii) A high-resolution laser-based method has been realized as part of a set of advanced instruments for the determination of enantiomeric excess. It is applicable to mixtures and con-formers and may change the routine instrumentation for chemists. (iii) Enantiomer-selective excitation of a racemate is a key prerequisite for chiral purification, and a seminal experimental demonstration has been complemented by a theoretical proposal for achieving complete selectivity. (iv) Demonstration of laser spectroscopy of short-lived radioactive molecules using the RaF prototype opens new perspectives for fundamental physics experiments since parity-violating interactions in chiral molecules increase steeply in strength with the atomic number.Besides our scientific aims, we pursue three further key goals within this CRC. Our strategic goal is to strengthen AMO physics in Kassel and at the participating institutions. For the second funding period, the core AMO competence in Kassel is reinforced by two new projects – one based on a recent W2 appoint-ment and one fostering independence of a young researcher. Our educational goal is to provide the best possible training for students and PostDocs in a highly dynamic area of AMO science. To fascinate pupils and draw them to the natural sciences, we will implement a transfer project to develop modern teaching material for schools to be distributed nationwide. Our gender equality goal takes advantage of the existing infrastructure at Universität Kassel and our partner institutions, already at a high level, and substantiates it by physics-specific components.