A new technique to detect collisions between single atom-ion pairs

Ingrid Fadelli is a writer for Phys.org.

The branch of chemistry that explores the applications of quantum mechanics is called quantum chemistry. Studies in this field can help to better understand the behavior of pairs or groups of atoms in a quantum state as well as the chemical reactions resulting from their interactions.

The interactions between pairs of atoms in a quantum state are explored in many quantum chemistry studies. Some of the works gathered interesting insight, but they were limited by the lack of available techniques for observing and controlling individual atom collisions.

The basic interactions between a single pair of atoms are studied by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science. A new technique based on quantum logic was introduced in a paper recently published in Nature Physics.

When atoms are brought up at short distances, they can experience several processes such as energy release or a chemical reaction, which are governed by quantum mechanics, according to one of the researchers who carried out the study. Our work allows us to study the interaction between many pairs of atoms using just a single additional atom, which acts as a probe.

The researchers trapped a pair of ion and neutral atoms with a laser. The ion were trapped in a trap. The neutral atoms were trapped in an optical lattice, which allowed them to escape the Paul trap at will.

We study the interaction of a single chemistry ion with one neutral atom by measuring the imprint on the second chemistry ion in the trap that acts as a probe. The process the other ion and atom have experienced is revealed by the detection of this light from the logic ion.

New possibilities for the study of processes that were previously difficult or impossible to probe were opened by the recent work by the team. The technique they introduced in their paper could be used to measure new effects in which the motion of atom and ion features is characterized by quantum interference. It would be difficult to observe and examine the effects using previously developed tools.

One hint for such effect is already seen in this work, reflected in the difference of cross-sections that is measured for the interaction of different isotopes of Sr+ with 87Rb, but the technique is not limited to this example and can be applied to study quantum effects in many.

In addition to using their technique to study other processes, Katz and his colleagues plan to gather more evidence of quantum interference effects. They will be able to further assess the potential of quantum mechanics-based tools for the study of fundamental interactions between atoms.

More information: Or Katz et al, Quantum logic detection of collisions between single atom–ion pairs, Nature Physics (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01517-y

Ratschbacher et al control chemical reactions of a single particle. There is a DOI of 10.1038/nphys2373.

The Spin-controlled atom is chemistry. There is a DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03373-y.

Journal information: Nature Physics , Nature Communications

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