Probing the Private Quantum Life of s Electrons in Atoms of Nanomaterials -A New Quantum Theoretical Insight

Abstract

The exotic properties exhibited by some of the nanomaterials could not be explained by the existing quantum theory. As a result one is forced to look back at the development of the quantum theory and some of the inelegancies. First, the quantized orbital angular momentum of s electron in an atom is taken as zero. This may be an acceptable fact for s electrons in an individual atom, but for the s electrons in a crystal or nanomaterial, this is far from the real situation. Secondly, in the wave function Ψ(r,θ), θ is considered as a dimensionless variable. These inelegancies lead to the impression that the present quantum theory is a steppingstone to a more complete description of nature. Here arises a necessity for probing the private quantum life of s electrons in crystal or nanomaterial. By assigning dimension to θ on par with r, we have quantum engineered the orbital angular momentum and hence the orbital degrees of freedom of s electrons and their signatures in a crystal. This restoration leads to new non-zero angular quantum numbers to s electrons of atoms in a crystal/nanomaterial. As a result the s electron occupation in nanomaterial is altered. Its new physics implications in material science, quantum chemistry and quantum technology are highlighted in this paper.