Intermolecular interactions in optical cavities: an ab initio QED study

TL;DR

This study explores how strong light-matter coupling in optical cavities can modify intermolecular forces and ground state properties of molecular systems, using ab initio QED methods.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of ab initio electron-photon methodologies and demonstrates the ability to control molecular interactions via optical cavities.

Findings

Electromagnetic fields can modulate intermolecular forces.

Electron-photon correlation is essential for accurate descriptions.

Optical cavities can stabilize or destabilize molecular interactions.

Abstract

Intermolecular bonds are weak compared to covalent bonds, but they are strong enough to influence the properties of large molecular systems. In this work, we investigate how strong light-matter coupling inside an optical cavity can modify these intermolecular forces. We perform a detailed comparison between currently available ab initio electron-photon methodologies. The electromagnetic field inside the cavity can modulate the ground state properties of weakly bound complexes. Controlling the field polarization, the interactions can be stabilized or destabilized, and electron densities, dipole moments, and polarizabilities can be altered. We demonstrate that electron-photon correlation is fundamental to describe intermolecular interactions in strong light-matter coupling. This work proposes optical cavities as a novel tool to manipulate and control ground state properties, solvent effects, and intermolecular interactions for molecules and materials.