Diffracting molecular matter-waves at deep-ultraviolet standing-light waves

TL;DR

This paper investigates the use of intense deep-ultraviolet light masks for matter-wave interferometry with molecules, revealing new mechanisms and potential applications in quantum sensing and protein interferometry.

Contribution

It introduces the use of continuous, intense deep-ultraviolet light masks for matter-wave beam splitting, expanding the understanding of light-matter interactions in this regime.

Findings

Identified new photo-physical and photo-chemical phenomena at deep-ultraviolet intensities.

Demonstrated potential for improved molecular interferometry and sensing.

Explored pathways for applications in protein interferometry.

Abstract

Matter-wave interferometry with molecules is intriguing both because it demonstrates a fundamental quantum phenomenon and because it opens avenues to quantum-enhanced measurements in physical chemistry. One great challenge in such experiments is to establish matter-wave beam splitting mechanisms that are efficient and applicable to a wide range of particles. In the past, continuous standing light waves in the visible spectral range were used predominantly as phase gratings, while pulsed vacuum ultraviolet light found applications in photo-ionisation gratings. Here, we explore the regime of continuous, intense deep-ultraviolet ($\rm >1 MW/cm^2$, $\rm 266\,nm$) light masks, where a rich variety of photo-physical and photo-chemical phenomena and relaxation pathways must be considered. The improved understanding of the mechanisms in this interaction opens new potential pathways to protein interferometry and to matter-wave enhanced sensing of molecular properties.