Quantum interference of large organic molecules

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

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(s)
Quantum Optics, Quantum Nanophysics and Quantum Information
External organisation(s)
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme, R and D the DuPont Company, Universität Basel
Journal
Nature Communications
Volume
2
No. of pages
5
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1263
Publication date
2011
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
1030 Physics, Astronomy, 103026 Quantum optics, 103008 Experimental physics
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/quantum-interference-of-large-organic-molecules(af823669-c178-4b7a-a7a1-0b0d234a87ae).html