Enantiomer-Specific State Transfer of Chiral Molecules

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a microwave-driven technique for enantiomer-specific state transfer in chiral molecules, enabling selective enrichment and rapid chiral switching, which could advance high-precision spectroscopic searches for parity violation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel microwave-based method for enantiomer-specific state transfer applicable to various chiral molecules, including those that racemize rapidly.

Findings

Successful enantiomer-specific state transfer in 1,2-propanediol

Potential application to a wide range of chiral molecules

Enables rapid chiral switching for spectroscopic studies

Abstract

State-selective enantiomeric excess is realized using microwave-driven coherent population transfer. The method selectively promotes either R or S molecules to a higher rotational state by phase-controlled microwave pulses that drive electric-dipole allowed rotational transitions. We demonstrate the enantiomer-specific state transfer method using enantiopure samples of 1,2-propanediol. This method of state-specific enantiomeric enrichment can be applied to a large class of asymmetric, chiral molecules that can be vaporized and cooled to the point where rotationally resolved spectroscopy is possible, including molecules that rapidly racemize. The rapid chiral switching demonstrated here allows for new approaches in high-precision spectroscopic searches for parity violation in chiral molecules.