Molecular Processes as Quantum Information Resources

TL;DR

This paper reviews how molecular processes can serve as quantum information resources, demonstrating entanglement, teleportation, and thermodynamic phenomena in molecular dissociation and collision processes.

Contribution

It highlights the potential of molecular processes to act as quantum information resources, including entanglement generation and quantum thermodynamic effects.

Findings

Molecular dissociation reveals EPR-like entanglement.

Fluorescence can serve as an entanglement witness.

Entangling processes exhibit anomalous thermodynamic features.

Abstract

In this contribution to Abraham Nitzan's Festschrift, we present a perspective of theoretical research over the years that has pointed to the potential of molecular processes to act as quantum information resources. Under appropriate control, homonuclear dimer (diatom) dissociation (half-collision) and the inverse process of atom-pair collisions are shown to reveal translational (EPR-like) entanglement that enables molecular wavepacket teleportation. When such processes involve electronic-state excitation of the diatom, the fluorescence following dissociation can serve as an entanglement witness that unravels the molecular-state characteristics and evolution. Such entangling processes can also exhibit anomalous quantum thermodynamic features, particularly temperature enhancement of a cavity field that interacts with dissociated entangled diatoms.