Theory of the colossal Van-der-Waals binding in soft and hard condensed matter

TL;DR

This paper presents a unified theory explaining colossal Van-der-Waals binding in condensed matter through enhanced polarizability mechanisms, combining vibronic effects and giant electric dipoles, with potential applications in hard and soft materials.

Contribution

It introduces a combined theoretical model for colossal Van-der-Waals binding by integrating two polarizability enhancement mechanisms, providing concrete expressions and potential molecular designs.

Findings

Colossal binding energies can arise from combined polarizability effects.

The theory applies to hard condensed matter, less so to soft matter.

A three-level system model exemplifies the mechanism.

Abstract

A simple theory is proposed for the dispersive molecular binding of unusually high magnitude due to an enhanced polarizability. Two alternative ways have so far been considered in the literature leading to the polarizability enhancement: (i) a vibronic energy level gap narrowing, as proposed by us with regard to a hypothetical exciton matter, and (ii) a giant electric dipole in a Rydberg state of constituent atoms, as proposed by Gilman with regard to an enigmatic substance building the ball lightning. We now combine the two mechanisms to obtain concrete expressions for the colossal binding energy. The problem is exemplified for a three-level system coupled to the umbrella mode of an ammonia molecule. Other possibilities for the design of enhanced-polarizability molecules are also discussed. The colossal Van-der-Waals binding is most likely to materialize in hard condensed matter and perhaps less so in soft condensed matter.