Ultrafast intermolecular energy transfer from vibrations to electronic motion

TL;DR

This paper explores how vibrational energy in molecules can rapidly transfer to neighboring molecules' electronic states, leading to ionization even at large intermolecular distances, revealing a highly efficient energy transfer mechanism.

Contribution

It demonstrates the efficiency of vibrational-to-electronic energy transfer at distances much larger than bonding lengths through explicit molecular examples.

Findings

Vibrational energy can transfer to electronic motion efficiently.

Energy transfer occurs at distances beyond bonding range.

Transfer can lead to ionization of neighboring molecules.

Abstract

It is discussed how vibrationally excited molecules in their electronic ground state can transfer their vibrational energy to the electronic motion of neighbors and ionize them. Based on explicit examples of vibrationally excited molecules and anionic neighbors, it is demonstrated that the transfer can be extremely efficient at intermolecular distances much beyond distances at which the molecule and its neighbor can form a bond.