Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:0903.1614

Quantum interferometry with complex molecules

Markus Arndt, Klaus Hornberger

Published Mar 9, 2009• 1 citation
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

This chapter reviews recent experiments on matter wave interferometry with large molecules. Starting from an elementary introduction to matter wave physics we discuss far-field diffraction and near-field interferometry with thermally excited many-body systems. We describe the constraints imposed by decoherence and dephasing effects, and present an outlook to the future challenges in macromolecule and cluster interferometry.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.0903.1614

Related papers

Quantum interferometry with complex molecules

Markus Arndt, Klaus Hornberger

Summary. — This chapter reviews recent experiments on matter wave interferometry with large molecules. Starting from an elementary introduction to matter wave physics we discuss far-field diffraction and near-field interferometry with thermally excited many-body systems. We describe the constraints imposed by decoherence and dephasing effects, and present an outlook to the future challenges in macromolecule and cluster interferometry. PACS 03.75.-b – Matter waves. 1. – Historical introduction and overview The year 1923 is generally considered as the year of birth of matter wave physics. It is the year when Louis de Broglie proposed the idea that each material particle is accompanied by an oscillatory phenomenon [1]. De Broglie based his hypothesis on two discoveries: the energy-frequency equivalence for photons, E = ¯hω, and the energy-mass equivalence for matter, E = mc 2. While the first relation had already been central to Planck’s explanation of the black body spectrum [2] and to Einstein’s analysis of the photo effect [3], the latter was a consequence of Einstein’s theory of special relativity.

•Mar 9, 2009•10 citations

Interferometry with large molecules: exploration of coherence, decoherence and novel beam methods

Markus Arndt, Lucia Hackermüller, Elisabeth Reiger

Quantum experiments with complex objects are of fundamental interest as they allow to quantitatively trace the quantum-to-classical transition under the influence of various interactions between the quantum object and its environment. We briefly review the present status of matter wave interferometry and decoherence studies with large molecules and focus in particular on the challenges for novel beam methods for molecular quantum optics with clusters, macromolecules or nanocrystals.

Brazilian Journal of Physics•Jun 1, 2005•14 citations

Colloquium : Quantum interference of clusters and molecules

Klaus Hornberger, Stefan Gerlich, Philipp Haslinger +2 more

Recent progress and future prospects of matter-wave interferometry with complex organic molecules and inorganic clusters are reviewed. Three variants of a near-field interference effect, based on diffraction by material nanostructures, at optical phase gratings, and at ionizing laser fields are considered. The theoretical concepts underlying these experiments and the experimental challenges are discussed. This includes optimizing interferometer designs as well as understanding the role of decoherence. The high sensitivity of matter-wave interference experiments to external perturbations is demonstrated to be useful for accurately measuring internal properties of delocalized nanoparticles. The prospects for probing the quantum superposition principle are investigated in the limit of high particle mass and complexity.

arXiv:1109.5937•Reviews of Modern Physics•Feb 8, 2012•352 citations

Experimental methods of molecular matter-wave optics

Thomas Juffmann, Hendrik Ulbricht, Markus Arndt

We describe the state of the art in preparing, manipulating and detecting coherent molecular matter. We focus on experimental methods for handling the quantum motion of compound systems from diatomic molecules to clusters or biomolecules.Molecular quantum optics offers many challenges and innovative prospects: already the combination of two atoms into one molecule takes several well-established methods from atomic physics, such as for instance laser cooling, to their limits. The enormous internal complexity that arises when hundreds or thousands of atoms are bound in a single organic molecule, cluster or nanocrystal provides a richness that can only be tackled by combining methods from atomic physics, chemistry, cluster physics, nanotechnology and the life sciences.We review various molecular beam sources and their suitability for matter-wave experiments. We discuss numerous molecular detection schemes and give an overview over diffraction and interference experiments that have already been performed with molecules or clusters.Applications of de Broglie studies with composite systems range from fundamental tests of physics up to quantum-enhanced metrology in physical chemistry, biophysics and the surface sciences.Nanoparticle quantum optics is a growing field, which will intrigue researchers still for many years to come. This review can, therefore, only be a snapshot of a very dynamical process.

Reports on Progress in Physics•Aug 1, 2013•54 citations

Matter-wave physics with nanoparticles and biomolecules

Christian Brand, Sandra Eibenberger, Sezer, Ugur +1 more

These lecture notes emerged from a contribution to the "Les Houches Summer School, Session CVII - Current Trends in Atomic Physics, July 2016". It is meant to serve students as a guide to a selection of topics that are currently at the focus of molecular quantum optics and complements an earlier lecture on related topics [Arndt et al., 2014]. In this review we discuss recent advances in molecular quantum optics with large organic molecules. In particular, we present successful experiments of molecules of biological importance, such as neurotransmitters and map out the route towards interferometry of large bio-matter such as proteins. The interaction of internally complex molecules with various beam splitters is discussed for both far-field diffraction at a single nanomechanical grating and the Kapitza-Dirac Talbot-Lau near-field interferometer - addressing recent progress, experimental challenges, and prospects for quantum enhanced metrology of highly complex systems in the gas phase. A central part of this review deals with the preparation of slow beams of neutral biomolecules, ranging from a single amino acid to proteins or peptides in a micro-environment.

arXiv:1703.02129•Mar 6, 2017•4 citations

Matter-wave interferometry with composite quantum objects

Markus Arndt, Nadine Dörre, Sandra Eibenberger +5 more

We discuss modern developments in quantum optics with organic molecules, clusters and nanoparticles -- in particular recent realizations of near-field matter-wave interferometry. A unified theoretical description in phase space allows us to describe quantum interferometry in position space and in the time domain on an equal footing. In order to establish matter-wave interferometers as a universal tool, which can accept and address a variety of nanoparticles, we elaborate on new quantum optical elements, such as diffraction gratings made of matter and light, as well as their absorptive and dispersive interaction with complex materials. We present Talbot-Lau interferometry (TLI), the Kapitza-Dirac-Talbot-Lau interferometer (KDTLI) and interferometry with pulsed optical gratings (OTIMA) as the most advanced devices to study the quantum wave nature of composite matter. These experiments define the current mass and complexity record in interferometric explorations of quantum macroscopicity and they open new avenues to quantum assisted metrology with applications in physical chemistry and biomolecular physics.

arXiv:1501.07770•Jan 30, 2015•10 citations
This chapter reviews recent experiments on matter wave interferometry with large molecules. Starting from an elementary introduction to matter wave physics we discuss far-field diffraction and near-field interferometry with thermally excited many-body systems. We describe the constraints imposed by decoherence and dephasing effects, and present an outlook to the future challenges in macromolecule and cluster interferometry.
Summary. — This chapter reviews recent experiments on matter wave interferometry with large molecules. Starting from an elementary introduction to matter wave physics we discuss far-field diffraction and near-field interferometry with thermally excited many-body systems. We describe the constraints imposed by decoherence and dephasing effects, and present an outlook to the future challenges in macromolecule and cluster interferometry. PACS 03.75.-b – Matter waves. 1. – Historical introduction and overview The year 1923 is generally considered as the year of birth of matter wave physics. It is the year when Louis de Broglie proposed the idea that each material particle is accompanied by an oscillatory phenomenon [1]. De Broglie based his hypothesis on two discoveries: the energy-frequency equivalence for photons, E = ¯hω, and the energy-mass equivalence for matter, E = mc 2. While the first relation had already been central to Planck’s explanation of the black body spectrum [2] and to Einstein’s analysis of the photo effect [3], the latter was a consequence of Einstein’s theory of special relativity.
Recent progress and future prospects of matter-wave interferometry with complex organic molecules and inorganic clusters are reviewed. Three variants of a near-field interference effect, based on diffraction by material nanostructures, at optical phase gratings, and at ionizing laser fields are considered. The theoretical concepts underlying these experiments and the experimental challenges are discussed. This includes optimizing interferometer designs as well as understanding the role of decoherence. The high sensitivity of matter-wave interference experiments to external perturbations is demonstrated to be useful for accurately measuring internal properties of delocalized nanoparticles. The prospects for probing the quantum superposition principle are investigated in the limit of high particle mass and complexity.
We describe the state of the art in preparing, manipulating and detecting coherent molecular matter. We focus on experimental methods for handling the quantum motion of compound systems from diatomic molecules to clusters or biomolecules.Molecular quantum optics offers many challenges and innovative prospects: already the combination of two atoms into one molecule takes several well-established methods from atomic physics, such as for instance laser cooling, to their limits. The enormous internal complexity that arises when hundreds or thousands of atoms are bound in a single organic molecule, cluster or nanocrystal provides a richness that can only be tackled by combining methods from atomic physics, chemistry, cluster physics, nanotechnology and the life sciences.We review various molecular beam sources and their suitability for matter-wave experiments. We discuss numerous molecular detection schemes and give an overview over diffraction and interference experiments that have already been performed with molecules or clusters.Applications of de Broglie studies with composite systems range from fundamental tests of physics up to quantum-enhanced metrology in physical chemistry, biophysics and the surface sciences.Nanoparticle quantum optics is a growing field, which will intrigue researchers still for many years to come. This review can, therefore, only be a snapshot of a very dynamical process.
These lecture notes emerged from a contribution to the "Les Houches Summer School, Session CVII - Current Trends in Atomic Physics, July 2016". It is meant to serve students as a guide to a selection of topics that are currently at the focus of molecular quantum optics and complements an earlier lecture on related topics [Arndt et al., 2014]. In this review we discuss recent advances in molecular quantum optics with large organic molecules. In particular, we present successful experiments of molecules of biological importance, such as neurotransmitters and map out the route towards interferometry of large bio-matter such as proteins. The interaction of internally complex molecules with various beam splitters is discussed for both far-field diffraction at a single nanomechanical grating and the Kapitza-Dirac Talbot-Lau near-field interferometer - addressing recent progress, experimental challenges, and prospects for quantum enhanced metrology of highly complex systems in the gas phase. A central part of this review deals with the preparation of slow beams of neutral biomolecules, ranging from a single amino acid to proteins or peptides in a micro-environment.
We discuss modern developments in quantum optics with organic molecules, clusters and nanoparticles -- in particular recent realizations of near-field matter-wave interferometry. A unified theoretical description in phase space allows us to describe quantum interferometry in position space and in the time domain on an equal footing. In order to establish matter-wave interferometers as a universal tool, which can accept and address a variety of nanoparticles, we elaborate on new quantum optical elements, such as diffraction gratings made of matter and light, as well as their absorptive and dispersive interaction with complex materials. We present Talbot-Lau interferometry (TLI), the Kapitza-Dirac-Talbot-Lau interferometer (KDTLI) and interferometry with pulsed optical gratings (OTIMA) as the most advanced devices to study the quantum wave nature of composite matter. These experiments define the current mass and complexity record in interferometric explorations of quantum macroscopicity and they open new avenues to quantum assisted metrology with applications in physical chemistry and biomolecular physics.