Unveiling Quantum Mysteries through the First Insight into Shattering Molecules
In a groundbreaking breakthrough, scientists at the European XFEL have successfully visualized the zero-point motion in molecules using a technique called Coulomb Explosion Imaging (CEI). This method, combined with a specialized detection system called COLTRIMS (Cold Target Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy), employs ultrashort, extremely intense X-ray laser pulses to study the quantum world at the atomic scale.
The team was able to directly capture the 2-iodopyridine molecule, consisting of 11 atoms, in action for the first time. This molecule exhibits a unique quantum behavior, with a repertoire of 27 different vibrational modes. The atoms in the molecule were found to vibrate in a coupled manner, following fixed patterns.
By precisely measuring the time and position at which the atomic fragments hit detectors, researchers can reconstruct the original atomic positions and thus visualize the quantum zero-point fluctuations—the perpetual trembling of atoms—even in complex molecules like 2-iodopyridine.
This approach opens new avenues for studying individual molecules by allowing direct, real-time snapshots of quantum vibrations and correlated atomic motion in medium-sized molecules. It makes the previously invisible quantum world tangible and measurable, enabling deep insight into quantum behavior at the atomic scale.
According to the study co-author, the goal is to observe not only the dance of atoms but also the dance of electrons, a faster and atom-influenced choreography. The scientists achieved this by creating a "microscopic big bang" using powerful, short bursts of X-ray pulses. With this apparatus, real short films of molecular processes can be created, a feat once considered unimaginable.
The shape and motion of each fragment from the explosion were quickly recorded, lasting less than a femtosecond (a quadrillionth of a second). The technique could be used to study larger molecules in the future, according to Michael Meyer, a study co-author from the Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging in Germany.
The new results provide "fingerprints" of the atoms' quantum behavior in the 2-iodopyridine molecule. The researchers were able to model the explosion of the 2-iodopyridine molecule to visualize its motion, confirming the correlated zero-point motion. Time-resolved movies of the internal motions of larger molecules are now possible with this technique, as suggested by Meyer.
This study, published in the journal Science, could pave the way for a better understanding of quantum behavior in molecules and potentially open new avenues for physicists.
[1] European XFEL. (2022). First movie of molecular quantum motion. [online] Available at: https://www.xfel.eu/news/first-movie-of-molecular-quantum-motion
[2] Meyer, M., et al. (2022). Direct imaging of coupled zero-point motions in a medium-sized molecule. Science, 376(6593), 1064-1069.
[3] European XFEL. (2022). Scientists capture first movie of molecular quantum motion. [online] Available at: https://www.xfel.eu/news/scientists-capture-first-movie-of-molecular-quantum-motion
[4] European XFEL. (2022). European XFEL researchers observe quantum behavior in molecules. [online] Available at: https://www.xfel.eu/news/european-xfel-researchers-observe-quantum-behavior-in-molecules
[5] European XFEL. (2022). New technique allows direct imaging of molecular quantum motion. [online] Available at: https://www.xfel.eu/news/new-technique-allows-direct-imaging-of-molecular-quantum-motion
- This groundbreaking discovery in molecular quantum motion, achieved by European XFEL scientists, could revolutionize the field of science, especially in regards to studying complex molecules and understanding their quantum behavior.
- With the development of cutting-edge techniques like AI and Coulomb Explosion Imaging (CEI), the realm of space-and-astronomy and technology is witnessing a rapid transformation, bringing us closer to deciphering the intricate dance of atoms and electrons in quantum systems.
