Quantum interference of large organic molecules

Autor(en)

Stefan Gerlich, Sandra Eibenberger, Mathias Tomandl, Stefan Nimmrichter, Klaus Hornberger, P.J. Fagan, Jens Tüxen, Marcel Mayor, Markus Arndt

Abstrakt

The wave nature of matter is a key ingredient of quantum physics and yet it defies our classical intuition. First proposed by Louis de Broglie a century ago, it has since been confirmed with a variety of particles from electrons up to molecules. Here we demonstrate new high-contrast quantum experiments with large and massive tailor-made organic molecules in a near-field interferometer. Our experiments prove the quantum wave nature and delocalization of compounds composed of up to 430 atoms, with a maximal size of up to 60 angstrom, masses up to m=6,910 AMU and de Broglie wavelengths down to lambda(dB) = h/mv similar or equal to 1 pm. We show that even complex systems, with more than 1,000 internal degrees of freedom, can be prepared in quantum states that are sufficiently well isolated from their environment to avoid decoherence and to show almost perfect coherence.

Organisation(en)

Quantenoptik, Quantennanophysik und Quanteninformation

Externe Organisation(en)

Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme, DuPont Company, Universität Basel

Journal

Nature Communications

Band

2

Anzahl der Seiten

5

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1263

Publikationsdatum

2011

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

1030 Physik, Astronomie, 103026 Quantenoptik, 103008 Experimentalphysik

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/af823669-c178-4b7a-a7a1-0b0d234a87ae