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Collisions Transfer Coherence
Author(s) -
Bargheer Matias,
Gühr Markus,
Schwentner Nikolaus
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
israel journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.908
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1869-5868
pISSN - 0021-2148
DOI - 10.1560/wfhd-7vcv-877k-229n
Subject(s) - coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , chemistry , photoexcitation , dissipation , wave packet , atomic physics , coherent control , ultrashort pulse , energy transfer , molecule , coherent states , phase coherence , vibrational energy , excited state , molecular physics , laser , quantum mechanics , physics , quantum , condensed matter physics , organic chemistry
Abstract Ultrafast photoexcitation of molecules prepares coherent superpositions of vibrational states, forming wave packets. We show direct experimental evidence that impulsive collisions of photo‐fragments with large energy loss generate new coherent superpositions of vibrational states, causing coherence among previously unoccupied states. We demonstrate the effect in the model system of I 2 molecules in Kr solids. This coherence transfer—even in the presence of very strong dissipation—may be used for control strategies in condensed‐phase photoreactions.