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Detecting Chirality in Molecules by Linearly Polarized Laser Fields.
Andrey Yachmenev1, Sergei N Yurchenko1
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
Physical Review Letters
|July 30, 2016
Summary
This study introduces a novel laser technique for distinguishing chiral molecules. The method uses polarized ultrashort laser pulses to induce a unique rotational response, enabling enantiomer differentiation.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Quantum Optics
- Molecular Spectroscopy
Background:
- Chiral molecules exist as non-superimposable mirror images (enantiomers).
- Distinguishing between enantiomers is crucial in pharmaceuticals, chemistry, and biology.
- Current methods for enantiomer differentiation can be limited by temperature, sample complexity, or the stability of chiral states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a new scheme for enantiomer differentiation of chiral molecules.
- To utilize the distinct optical properties of enantiomers for selective analysis.
- To develop a robust technique applicable to various chiral systems, including those at higher temperatures or with transient chirality.
Main Methods:
- Employing a pair of intense ultrashort laser pulses with skewed mutual polarization.
- Exploiting the sign difference in off-diagonal anisotropic contributions to the electric polarizability tensor between enantiomers.
- Inducing a coherent unidirectional rotation of molecular electric dipole moments with a π phase difference.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated successful enantiomer differentiation based on induced rotational dynamics.
- Showcased the technique's robustness and applicability at relatively high temperatures.
- Illustrated the method with nanosecond laser-driven dynamics of a nonrigid chiral molecule with short-lived chirality.
Conclusions:
- The proposed laser-based scheme provides an effective method for enantiomer differentiation.
- The technique is suitable for selective chiral analysis in mixtures and for challenging chiral molecules.
- Its ultrafast nature makes it ideal for studying parity violation in short-lived chiral states.
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