Unidad de Láseres y Haces Moleculares Instituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
J Phys Chem A. 2013 Aug 29;117(34):8119-25. doi: 10.1021/jp401005v. Epub 2013 Apr 18.
Quantum decoherence can be viewed as the mechanism responsible for the quantum-to-classical transition as the initially prepared quantum state interacts with its environment in an irreversible manner. One of the most common mechanisms responsible for the macroscopically observed decoherence involves collisions of an atom or molecule, initially prepared in a coherent superposition of states, with gas particles. In this work, a coherent superposition of quantum internal states of NO molecules is prepared by the interaction between the molecule with both a static and a radiofrequency electric field. Subsequently, NO + Ar collision decoherence experiments are investigated by measuring the loss of coherence as a function of the number of collisions. Data analysis using a model based on the interaction potential of the collisional partners allowed to unravel the molecular mechanism responsible for the loss of coherence in the prepared NO quantum superposition of internal states. The relevance of the present work relies on several aspects. On the one hand, the use of radio-waves introduces a new way for the production of coherent beams. On the other hand, the employed methodology could be useful in investigating the Stereodynamics of chemical reactions with coherent reagents.
量子退相干可以被视为导致量子到经典转变的机制，因为初始制备的量子态以不可逆的方式与环境相互作用。导致宏观观察到的退相干的最常见机制之一涉及原子或分子的碰撞，这些原子或分子最初处于相干叠加态，与气体粒子碰撞。在这项工作中，通过分子与静电场和射频电场的相互作用，制备了 NO 分子的量子内态的相干叠加。随后，通过测量相干性随碰撞次数的损失来研究 NO + Ar 碰撞退相干实验。使用基于碰撞伙伴相互作用势能的模型进行数据分析，揭示了导致内部状态的制备 NO 量子叠加相干性损失的分子机制。本工作的相关性在于几个方面。一方面，使用无线电波为产生相干光束提供了一种新方法。另一方面，所采用的方法可能有助于研究具有相干试剂的化学反应的立体动力学。
