Dynamical tunneling in molecules: Quantum routes to energy flow

TL;DR

This paper reviews how dynamical tunneling, a quantum phenomenon, influences intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution in molecules, highlighting its mechanisms, timescales, and effects on molecular spectra from a phase space perspective.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of dynamical tunneling's role in energy flow within molecules, connecting quantum tunneling with classical phase space structures.

Findings

Dynamical tunneling impacts vibrational energy redistribution.

Phase space analysis elucidates tunneling mechanisms.

Quantum effects influence molecular spectral features.

Abstract

Dynamical tunneling, introduced in the molecular context, is more than two decades old and refers to phenomena that are classically forbidden but allowed by quantum mechanics. On the other hand the phenomenon of intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) has occupied a central place in the field of chemical physics for a much longer period of time. Although the two phenomena seem to be unrelated several studies indicate that dynamical tunneling, in terms of its mechanism and timescales, can have important implications for IVR. Examples include the observation of local mode doublets, clustering of rotational energy levels, and extremely narrow vibrational features in high resolution molecular spectra. Both the phenomena are strongly influenced by the nature of the underlying classical phase space. This work reviews the current state of understanding of dynamical tunneling from the phase space perspective and the consequences for intramolecular vibrational energy flow in polyatomic molecules.