Researchers from the University of East Anglia have proposed a new way to use quantum light to “see” quantum sound. A new article published on October 2 Physical Examination Letters, It reveals the quantum mechanical interaction between vibrations in molecules and light particles known as photons.

It is hoped that this discovery could help scientists better understand the interaction between light and matter at the molecular level. And it potentially paves the way for solving fundamental questions about the importance of quantum effects in applications ranging from new quantum technologies to biological systems. Dr Magnus Borg, from UEA’s School of Physics, said: “There is a long-standing debate in chemical physics about the nature of the processes by which energy from light particles is transferred within molecules.

“Is it fundamentally quantum mechanical or classical? Molecules are intricate and complex systems that are constantly vibrating. How do these vibrations affect the quantum mechanical processes in the molecule?”

“These processes are often investigated using methods based on polarization, the same property of light used to reduce glare in sunglasses. However, this is a classical phenomenon.

“Methods in quantum optics, the branch of physics that studies the quantum nature of light and its interaction with matter at the atomic scale, may offer a way to investigate true quantum effects directly in molecular systems.”

Quantum behavior can be detected by examining correlations in the light emitted from a molecule placed in a laser field. Correlations answer the question of how likely it is that two photons will be emitted so close together that they can be measured using standard methods.

UEA Theoretical Chemistry PhD Student Ben Humphreys said: “Our research shows that when a molecule exchanges phonons (quantum mechanical sound particles) with its environment, this creates a recognizable signal in photon correlations.”

Although photons are routinely created and measured in laboratories around the world, the individual vibrational quanta of phonons, the corresponding particles of sound, often cannot be measured in a similar way. New discoveries provide a toolset for exploring the world of quantum sound in molecules. Principal investigator Dr. from UEA School of Chemistry. Garth Jones said: “We also calculated correlations between photons and phonons.

“It would be very interesting if our paper inspired the development of new experimental methods to directly detect single phonons,” he added. Source