Dynamic electron-phonon and spin-phonon interactions due to inertia

TL;DR

This paper explores how inertial effects from ion circular motion, induced by THz radiation, influence electron and spin interactions, potentially enabling vibration-based control of quantum states and chemical reactions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel framework for understanding inertia-induced electron-phonon and spin-phonon interactions in molecules and crystals.

Findings

Inertial effects cause spin-rotation and centrifugal spin-orbit couplings.

Effects persist for several picoseconds after excitation.

Potential for controlling quantum states via vibrational excitations.

Abstract

THz radiation allows for the controlled excitation of vibrational modes in molecules and crystals. We show that the circular motion of ions introduces inertial effects on electrons. In analogy to the classical Coriolis and centrifugal forces, these effects are the spin-rotation coupling, the centrifugal field coupling, the centrifugal spin-orbit coupling, and the centrifugal redshift. Depending on the phonon decay, these effects persist for various picoseconds after excitation. Potential boosting of the effects would make it a promising platform for vibration-based control of localized quantum states or chemical reaction barriers.