Dynamic method to distinguish between left- and right-handed chiral molecules

TL;DR

This paper presents a dynamic method to distinguish between left- and right-handed chiral molecules by exploiting their different evolution pathways in quantum systems with broken symmetry.

Contribution

It introduces a novel dynamic approach to differentiate chiral molecules based on their quantum state evolution, enabling selective identification.

Findings

Left- and right-handed molecules evolve into different states under the method.

The approach allows for purely dynamic discrimination without additional labels.

Demonstrates potential for applications in stereochemistry and molecular analysis.

Abstract

We study quantum systems with broken symmetry that can be modelled as cyclic three-level atoms with coexisting one- and two-photon transitions. They can be selectively optically excited to any state. As an example, we show that left- and right-handed chiral molecules starting in the same initial states can evolve into different final states by a purely dynamic transfer process. That means, left- and right-handed molecules can be distinguished purely dynamically.