Enhanced Photochemical Reaction Rates with Entangled Photons

Photochemistry is a powerful tool for synthesizing important molecules that are challenging to create without light. We report compelling results that indicate that photochemical reaction rate (oxygenation) can be notably enhanced by utilizing a very small number of entangled photons. Measurements with the same small number of classical photons show that the rate of product formation is considerably lower. This suggests that the reaction rate with entangled photons is enhanced by many orders of magnitude. Theoretical calculations show that classical and entangled photons excite the photocatalyst to different final excited states. This chemical synthesis approach with entangled photons could have a large impact on our understanding of chemical reactivity and provide new insights into photochemical processes.