© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

arXiv:2211.06888 · Physical review. E

Enantiomer detection via quantum Otto cycle

Mohsen Izadyari, M. Tahir Naseem, Özgür Esat Müstecaplıoğlu

Published Apr 26, 2023• 7 citations

Abstract

Enantiomers are chiral molecules that exist in right-handed and left-handed conformations. Optical techniques of enantiomers' detection are widely employed to discriminate between left- and right-handed molecules. However, identical spectra of enantiomers make enantiomer detection a very challenging task. Here, we investigate the possibility of exploiting thermodynamic processes for enantiomer detection. In particular, we employ a quantum Otto cycle in which a chiral molecule described by a three-level system with cyclic optical transitions is considered a working medium. Each energy transition of the three-level system is coupled with an external laser drive. We find that the left- and right-handed enantiomers operate as a quantum heat engine and a thermal accelerator, respectively, when the overall phase is the control parameter. In addition, both enantiomers act as heat engines by keeping the overall phase constant and using the laser drives' detuning as the control parameter during the cycle. However, the molecules can still be distinguished because both cases' extracted work and efficiency are quantitatively very different. Accordingly, the left- and right-handed molecules can be distinguished by evaluating the work distribution in the Otto cycle.

DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.l042103

Related papers

Enantio-detection via cavity-assisted three-photon processes

Yu-Yuan Chen, Chong Ye, Yong Li

We propose a method for enantio-detection of chiral molecules based on a cavity-molecule system, where the left- and right-handed molecules are coupled with a cavity and two classical light fields to form cyclic three-level models. Via the cavity-assisted three-photon processes based on the cyclic three-level model, photons are generated continuously in the cavity even in the absence of external driving to the cavity. However, the photonic fields generated from the three-photon processes of left- and right-handed molecules differ with the phase difference π according to the inherent properties of electric-dipole transition moments of enantiomers. This provides a potential way to detect the enantiomeric excess of chiral mixture by monitoring the output field of the cavity.

arXiv:2101.06624•Optics Express•Oct 13, 2021•12 citations

Distinguishing left- and right-handed molecules using two-step coherent pulses

W. Z. Jia, L. F. Wei

Chiral molecules with broken parity symmetries can be modeled as quantum systems with cyclic-transition structures. By using these novel properties, we design two-step laser pulses to distinguish left- and right-handed molecules from the enantiomers. After the applied pulse drivings, one kind chiral molecules are trapped in coherent population trapping state, while the other ones are pumped to the highest states for ionizations. Then, different chiral molecules can be separated.

arXiv:1008.3787•Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Sep 6, 2010•33 citations

Enantio-discrimination via the cavity-assisted three-photon process

Yu-Yuan Chen, Chong Ye, Yong Li

We propose a theoretical method for enantio-discrimination of chiral molecules based on a cavity-molecules system, which consists of a cavity without external driving and an ensemble of chiral mixture (containing left- and right- handed molecules) confined in the cavity. The molecules in the chiral mixture are modeled as cyclic three-level models coupled with the quantized cavity field and two classical light fields. Via the cavity-assisted three-photon process based on the cyclic three-level model, the intracavity photons are generated continuously though there is no external driving to the cavity, and the fields of the photons generated from the the left- and right- handed molecules differ with the phase difference \pi. This provides a potential way to detect the enantiomeric excess of chiral mixture by monitoring the output field of the cavity.

•Jan 17, 2021•1 citation

Dynamic method to distinguish between left- and right-handed chiral molecules

Yong Li, Christoph Bruder

We study quantum systems with broken symmetry that can be modeled as cyclic three-level atoms with coexisting one- and two-photon transitions. They can be selectively optically excited to any state. As an example, we show that left- and right-handed chiral molecules starting in the same initial states can evolve into different final states by a purely dynamic transfer process. That means that left- and right-handed molecules can be distinguished purely dynamically.

arXiv:0712.3722•Physical Review A•Jan 18, 2008•69 citations

Enantiodiscrimination of chiral molecules via quantum correlation function

Fen Zou, Yu-Yuan Chen, Бо Лю +1 more

We propose a method to realize enantiodiscrimination of chiral molecules based on quantum correlation function in a driven cavity-molecule system, where the chiral molecule is coupled with a quantized cavity field and two classical light fields to form a cyclic three-level model. According to the inherent properties of electric-dipole transition moments of chiral molecules, there is a π-phase difference in the overall phase of the cyclic three-level model for the left- and right-handed chiral molecules. Thus, the correlation function depends on this overall phase and is chirality-dependent. The analytical and numerical results indicate that the left- and right-handed chiral molecules can be discriminated by detecting quantum correlation function. Our work opens up a promising route to discriminate molecular chirality, which is an extremely important task in pharmacology and biochemistry.

arXiv:2201.01925•Optics Express•Aug 2, 2022•11 citations

Highly Efficient Detection and Separation of Chiral Molecules through Shortcuts to Adiabaticity

Nikolay V. Vitanov, Michael Drewsen

A highly efficient method for optical or microwave detection and separation of left- and right-handed chiral molecules is proposed. The method utilizes a closed-loop three-state system in which the population dynamics depends on the phases of the three couplings. Because of the different signs of the coupling between two of the states for the opposite chiralities the population dynamics is chirality dependent. By using the "shortcuts to adiabaticity" concept applied to the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage technique, one can achieve 100% contrast between the two enantiomers in the population of a particular state. It can be probed by light-induced fluorescence for large ensembles or through resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization for single molecules.

arXiv:1901.11487•Physical Review Letters•May 3, 2019•88 citations

Enantiomers are chiral molecules that exist in right-handed and left-handed conformations. Optical techniques of enantiomers' detection are widely employed to discriminate between left- and right-handed molecules. However, identical spectra of enantiomers make enantiomer detection a very challenging task. Here, we investigate the possibility of exploiting thermodynamic processes for enantiomer detection. In particular, we employ a quantum Otto cycle in which a chiral molecule described by a three-level system with cyclic optical transitions is considered a working medium. Each energy transition of the three-level system is coupled with an external laser drive. We find that the left- and right-handed enantiomers operate as a quantum heat engine and a thermal accelerator, respectively, when the overall phase is the control parameter. In addition, both enantiomers act as heat engines by keeping the overall phase constant and using the laser drives' detuning as the control parameter during the cycle. However, the molecules can still be distinguished because both cases' extracted work and efficiency are quantitatively very different. Accordingly, the left- and right-handed molecules can be distinguished by evaluating the work distribution in the Otto cycle.

We propose a method for enantio-detection of chiral molecules based on a cavity-molecule system, where the left- and right-handed molecules are coupled with a cavity and two classical light fields to form cyclic three-level models. Via the cavity-assisted three-photon processes based on the cyclic three-level model, photons are generated continuously in the cavity even in the absence of external driving to the cavity. However, the photonic fields generated from the three-photon processes of left- and right-handed molecules differ with the phase difference π according to the inherent properties of electric-dipole transition moments of enantiomers. This provides a potential way to detect the enantiomeric excess of chiral mixture by monitoring the output field of the cavity.

We propose a theoretical method for enantio-discrimination of chiral molecules based on a cavity-molecules system, which consists of a cavity without external driving and an ensemble of chiral mixture (containing left- and right- handed molecules) confined in the cavity. The molecules in the chiral mixture are modeled as cyclic three-level models coupled with the quantized cavity field and two classical light fields. Via the cavity-assisted three-photon process based on the cyclic three-level model, the intracavity photons are generated continuously though there is no external driving to the cavity, and the fields of the photons generated from the the left- and right- handed molecules differ with the phase difference \pi. This provides a potential way to detect the enantiomeric excess of chiral mixture by monitoring the output field of the cavity.

We propose a method to realize enantiodiscrimination of chiral molecules based on quantum correlation function in a driven cavity-molecule system, where the chiral molecule is coupled with a quantized cavity field and two classical light fields to form a cyclic three-level model. According to the inherent properties of electric-dipole transition moments of chiral molecules, there is a π-phase difference in the overall phase of the cyclic three-level model for the left- and right-handed chiral molecules. Thus, the correlation function depends on this overall phase and is chirality-dependent. The analytical and numerical results indicate that the left- and right-handed chiral molecules can be discriminated by detecting quantum correlation function. Our work opens up a promising route to discriminate molecular chirality, which is an extremely important task in pharmacology and biochemistry.

A highly efficient method for optical or microwave detection and separation of left- and right-handed chiral molecules is proposed. The method utilizes a closed-loop three-state system in which the population dynamics depends on the phases of the three couplings. Because of the different signs of the coupling between two of the states for the opposite chiralities the population dynamics is chirality dependent. By using the "shortcuts to adiabaticity" concept applied to the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage technique, one can achieve 100% contrast between the two enantiomers in the population of a particular state. It can be probed by light-induced fluorescence for large ensembles or through resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization for single molecules.