Matter‐Wave Metrology as a Complementary Tool for Mass Spectrometry

Gerlich, Stefan; Gring, Michael; Ulbricht, Hendrik; Hornberger, Klaus; Tüxen, Jens; Mayor, Marcel; Arndt, Markus

doi:10.1002/anie.200801942

Cited by 53 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In relation to that, chemical functionalization methods have recently gained great importance, as they allow us to tailor the molecular properties, such as mass, polarizability, and volatility to the needs of quantum optics experiments. Successful de Broglie coherence experiments with compounds such as tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), [1] the fullerenes C 60 and C 70 , [2,3] fluorinated fullerene C 60 F 48 , [1] and perfluoroalkyl-functionalized tetraphenylmethane, [4] oligophenylene ethynylene (OPE), [4] azobenzene, [5] and triphenylphosphane [6] have successively increased the complexity of interfering particles and gave insight into the influence of molecular structural features on de Broglie interference.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous experiments indicated already that these requirements can be well fulfilled for highly fluorinated compounds. [1,[4][5][6] Per-us to tailor and optimize the sublimation features of these compounds for molecule interferometry. We have analyzed the evaporation process of one member of the series by determining the enthalpy of evaporation, as the creation of a sufficiently intense, slow molecular beam is crucial for quantum interference experiments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Highly Fluorous Porphyrins as Model Compounds for Molecule Interferometry

et al. 2011

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The synthesis and characterization of seven tailor‐made highly fluorous porphyrin derivatives are described, as large perfluoroalkyl‐functionalized organic molecules are the most complex objects for which the quantum wave nature has been observed so far. We have found, in particular, that tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin is a suitable starting point for a modular synthesis that is geared towards porphyrin derivatives with many peripheral fluorous chains. This allows us to tailor and optimize the sublimation features of these compounds for molecule interferometry. We have analyzed the evaporation process of one member of the series by determining the enthalpy of evaporation, as the creation of a sufficiently intense, slow molecular beam is crucial for quantum interference experiments. We present the quantum fringe pattern of a second member of the series, which we could obtain in a Kapitza–Dirac–Talbot–Lau interferometer.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Highly Fluorous Porphyrins as Model Compounds for Molecule Interferometry

et al. 2011

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“…53 Both interferometers also share a high potential for quantum-assisted metrology targeting internal properties, which reveal themselves even in de Broglie experiments due to the phase shift induced by external fields. [56][57][58] …”

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Testing the limits of quantum mechanical superpositions

2014

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Quantum physics has intrigued scientists and philosophers alike, because it challenges our notions of reality and locality-concepts that we have grown to rely on in our macroscopic world. It is an intriguing open question whether the linearity of quantum mechanics extends into the macroscopic domain. Scientific progress over the last decades inspires hope that this debate may be decided by table-top experiments. IntroductionThe last three decades have witnessed what has been termed 1 the second quantum revolution: A renaissance of research on the quantum foundations, hand in hand with growing experimental capabilities, 2 revived the idea of exploiting quantum superpositions for technological applications, from information science [3][4][5] to precision metrology. [6][7][8] Quantum mechanics has passed all precision tests with flying colors, but it still seems to be in conflict with our common sense. Since quantum theory knows no boundaries everything should fall under the sway of the superposition principle, including macroscopic objects. This is at the bottom of Schrödinger's thought experiment transforming a cat into a state which strikes us as classically impossible. And yet, 'Schrödinger kittens' of entangled photons 9 and ions 10 have been realized in the lab.So why are the objects around us never found in superpositions of states that would be excluded in a classical description? One may emphasize the smallness of Planck's constant, or point to decoherence theory, which describes how a system will effectively lose its quantum features when coupled to a quantum environment of sufficient size. 11,12 The formalism of decoherence, however, is based on the framework of unitary quantum mechanics, implying that some interpretational exercise is required not to become entangled in a multitude of parallel worlds. 13 More radically, one may ask whether quantum mechanics breaks down beyond a certain mass or complexity scale. As will be discussed below, such ideas can be motivated by the apparent incompatibility of quantum theory and general relativity. It is safe to state, in any case, that quantum superpositions of truly massive, complex objects are terra incognita. This makes them an attractive challenge for a growing number of sophisticated experiments.We start by reviewing several prototypical tests of the superposition principle, focusing on the quantum states of motion displayed by material objects. Particle position and momentum variables have a well-defined classical analogue, and they are therefore particularly suited to probe the macroscopic domain. We note that aspects of macroscopicity can also be addressed in experiments with photons, [14][15][16] Figure 1A): The single-valuedness of the wave function entails that the magnetic flux encircled by a closed-loop supercurrent must be quantized. In particular, one can define a symmetric and an antisymmetric linear combination of two supercurrents, which circulate simultaneously in opposing directions. Billions of electrons may contribute coherently to the wave...

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“…Velocity selection is one of the first steps to increase control over the motion of large molecules and clusters. For instance, molecule interferometry is challenging today's gas phase manipulation technologies and will gain from improved beam monochromaticity: by reaching maximal interference visibility, 13 by higher precision in interferometric deflection for molecule metrology, 14 as well as by interferometric particle sorting. 15 Cooling and trapping of molecules will benefit from improved molecule velocity selection.…”

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Note: A helical velocity selector for continuous molecular beams

Szewc

Collier

2010

Review of Scientific Instruments

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We report on a modern realization of the classic helical velocity selector for gas phase particle beams. The device operates stably under high vacuum conditions at rotational frequencies limited only by commercial dc motor capabilities. Tuning the rotational frequency allows selective scanning over a broad velocity band. The width of the selected velocity distributions at full-width-half-maximum is as narrow as a few percent of the selected mean velocity and independent of the rotational speed of the selector. The selector generates low vibrational noise amplitudes comparable to mechanically damped state-of-the-art turbo-molecular pumps and is therefore compatible with vibration sensitive experiments like molecule interferometry. © 2010 American Institute of Physics. ͓doi:10.1063/1.3499254͔Manipulation and control of electrically neutral particles, such as atoms and molecules in the gas phase is an active field of research. 1 The general aim is to increase the ability to control the motion of particles as they propagate in gas phase beams by means of deceleration, 2-5 trapping, 6 and cooling. 7,8 Today, cold atoms and small molecules are the best controlled physical systems and therefore are the ideal playground to study physics 9 and chemistry 10,11 at the most fundamental level. 12 For more complex systems-starting with molecules of more than about ten atoms-this level of control has not yet been achieved. Velocity selection is one of the first steps to increase control over the motion of large molecules and clusters. For instance, molecule interferometry is challenging today's gas phase manipulation technologies and will gain from improved beam monochromaticity: by reaching maximal interference visibility, 13 by higher precision in interferometric deflection for molecule metrology, 14 as well as by interferometric particle sorting. 15 Cooling and trapping of molecules will benefit from improved molecule velocity selection. 12 Plainly, our device can be used to select slow particles from a wide thermal velocity distribution 16 as proposed in one of the very early approaches to produce cold atoms. 17 As a further example, velocity selection can be used to separate buffer gas cooled molecules thermalized with their lighter coolant atoms propagating at much higher velocities. Furthermore, atom, molecule and cluster lithography techniques 18-20 will benefit from velocity pre-selected particles.We here have picked up the old idea to mechanically separate particles of different velocities, for instance generated by a thermal beam source with a very broad velocity distribution and base our design on earlier helical velocity selectors for neutrons, 21,22 atoms, 23 and the related slotted disk selectors for molecules. 24,25 The main idea is to make use of the difference in propagation time particles need for their passage through a spatial confinement. Such a confinement can be realized by a sequence slits arranged by rotating slotted disks at well defined positions and with well defined phase relations. It turns out ...

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Matter‐Wave Metrology as a Complementary Tool for Mass Spectrometry

Cited by 53 publications

References 13 publications

Highly Fluorous Porphyrins as Model Compounds for Molecule Interferometry

Highly Fluorous Porphyrins as Model Compounds for Molecule Interferometry

Testing the limits of quantum mechanical superpositions

Note: A helical velocity selector for continuous molecular beams

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