Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
15:58
Measurement of Coherence Decay in GaMnAs Using Femtosecond Four-wave Mixing
Published on: December 3, 2013
Dissipative quantum coherent dynamics probed in phase-space: electronically resonant 5-color 4-wave mixing on I2(B)
1Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2025, USA.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|July 20, 2011
Summary
Researchers used four-wave mixing to study quantum coherences in molecular iodine (I2) entangled with solid krypton (Kr). This reveals fundamental quantum principles like coherent dissipation and event-driven decoherence in molecular systems.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Mechanics
- Molecular Spectroscopy
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Understanding quantum phenomena in complex molecular systems is crucial for advancing quantum technologies.
- The interaction between molecular systems and their environment (e.g., solid matrices) leads to decoherence, a key challenge in quantum control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate vibronic quantum coherences in phase-space using spectrally resolved four-wave mixing.
- To demonstrate fundamental quantum principles, including quantum-classical dynamics distinction and environment-induced effects, in a strongly coupled molecular system.
Main Methods:
- Employed spectrally resolved, four-wave mixing measurements utilizing five resonant colors.
- Prepared superposition wavepackets on the B-state of iodine (I2) molecules embedded in solid krypton (Kr).
- Interrogated the cross-coherence of these wavepackets as they became entangled with the surrounding Kr environment.
Main Results:
- Successfully observed and characterized vibronic quantum coherences in the phase-space of the I2/Kr system.
- Provided direct experimental evidence for concepts such as coherent dissipation and event-driven decoherence.
- Demonstrated environment-selected coherent states and non-local mechanics arising from system-environment entanglement.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights the power of four-wave mixing for probing quantum dynamics in condensed phases.
- Confirms the entanglement between molecular states and the solid environment significantly influences quantum coherence.
- Offers a platform for exploring fundamental quantum mechanics in molecular matter with potential implications for quantum information science.
Related Concept Videos
01:16UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
In Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, the absorption of electromagnetic radiation is used to probe the electronic structure of molecules. This technique provides insights into molecular electronic transitions, particularly the movement of electrons between different molecular orbitals. Radiation is absorbed if the energy of the electromagnetic radiation passing through the molecule is precisely equal to the energy difference between the excited and ground states. During this process,...
01:04IR Absorption Frequency: Delocalization
Electron delocalization refers to the distribution of electrons across multiple atoms within a molecule rather than being confined to a single atom or bond. This phenomenon is common in systems with conjugated bonds—structures where alternating single and double bonds allow π-electrons to move freely across the network. The movement of electrons stabilizes the molecule and can affect various chemical properties, including vibrational frequencies observed in IR spectroscopy.
In IR spectroscopy,...
In IR spectroscopy,...
02:32The de Broglie Wavelength
In the macroscopic world, objects that are large enough to be seen by the naked eye follow the rules of classical physics. A billiard ball moving on a table will behave like a particle; it will continue traveling in a straight line unless it collides with another ball, or it is acted on by some other force, such as friction. The ball has a well-defined position and velocity or well-defined momentum, p = mv, which is defined by mass m and velocity v at any given moment. This is the typical...
01:21IR Absorption Frequency: Hybridization
Hydrocarbons such as alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes show characteristic C–H stretching absorption bands. These IR stretching frequencies depend on the hybridization of the involved carbon atom and can be explained in terms of the s character of each hybridized atomic orbital.
Among the sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridized orbitals, sp orbitals have the maximum s character (50%). Consequently, the electrons are held more closely to the nucleus, resulting in stronger and shorter C–H bonds that stretch at a...
Among the sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridized orbitals, sp orbitals have the maximum s character (50%). Consequently, the electrons are held more closely to the nucleus, resulting in stronger and shorter C–H bonds that stretch at a...
01:25Deactivation Processes: Jablonski Diagram
Luminescence, the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed energy, is a process that involves the interaction of molecules with light. The energy-level diagram, or Jablonski diagram, is a graphical representation of these interactions, illustrating the various states and transitions a molecule can undergo. In a typical Jablonski diagram, the lowest horizontal line represents the ground-state energy of the molecule, which is usually a singlet state. This state represents the energies...
01:27π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Overview
An applied magnetic field causes loosely bound π-electrons in organic molecules to circulate, producing a local or induced diamagnetic field over a large spatial volume. As the molecules tumble in solution, the field generated by π-electrons in spherical substituents results in a zero net field. However, the net field generated by π-electrons in non-spherical substituents is not zero. The effect of this induced field depends on the orientation of the molecule with respect to B0, resulting in...