Chiral Molecules

 


New research about chiral molecules was published in the journal Nature Communications. The study was named “ Near complete chiral selection in rational quantum states”.

It was sponsored by the controlled molecules group from the molecular physics department of the Fritz Harber Institute. The team was led by Dr. Sandra Eibenberger-Arias. 

They achieved near complete separation in quantum states! 

Their discovery draws into question the practical limits of the quantum state control of chiral molecules. It also open the door for new research into molecular physics and much more.

Enantiomers are chiral molecules. Exist as two non-superimposable molecules, just like our right and left hands. The importance of controlling these molecules and their corresponding quantum states has profound implications, as these molecules are fundamental to the fabric of life.

Until now, scientists understood that perfect control is theoretically impossible and not obtainable. The researchers at Fritz Haber Institute are proving otherwise. They have shown 96% purity in the quantum state of one enantiomer (One of the mirror images) Is possible. This is paired with only 4% of the other, so it moves closer to the goal of 100% selectivity.

Scientists used tailored microwave fields and ultraviolet radiation. This allowed for nearly complete control of the molecules. In the lab, scientists use a beam of molecules with their rotational motions mostly suppressed. 

They found it made for a significant advancement in  molecular beam experiments. The chosen rotational quantum states contain almost exclusively the selected enantiomer of the chiral molecule. 

This opens up new experiments in both chemistry and physics. Next, the team will research parity violation in chiral molecules- Phenomenon that has been theorized , but not yet observed. 

This will allow scientists to understand more of the universe’s  fundamental asymmetries. 

An almost complete enantiomer-specific state transfer is possible. And this technique can be Applied to nearly all chiral molecules.

New research and approaches will be coming in the near future! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mike Giradi from Stereotimes commentary on Holostage Room Treatments

I have been  friends with Mike Giradi for a few years and he has helped me test numerous designs .    I was so honored a few weeks ago when he agreed to give these Holostages a few words.  From. Mike G. The sound was a little closed in at first, but then it really opened up to prove it is another great audio product. The noise floor is greatly reduced. I am hearing details I've never heard before. When it's in the recording, the soundstage widens in all directions. The timbre of each instrument is spot on. The six Holostages installed in my room aided in the C13 alignment of air molecules to a far greater extent than the Bybee IQSE devices I had previously been using. Every instrument had greater depth, pop and presence. Listening to classical music on movie soundtracks is incredible now. The Holostages installed on my BACCH4MAC and monoblocks was the answer to what was needed. The noise floor dropped significantly in both cases resulting in greater clarity and music...
Read more

Queen Bee 🐝

Image
  Bees hide an interesting secret. When the hive loses its queen, who alone is able to give life to the colony and maintain order in a perfectly organized society, all seems lost. The life of the hive slows down. Without new eggs, the future is lost. In a few weeks, the colony may be doomed. But the bees do not panic. Nor do they expect salvation from outside. Demonstrating extraordinary collective intelligence and profound instincts, they trigger spectacular emergency procedures, almost unimaginable in a world dominated by insects. --- ◆ The transformation begins with a simple but essential choice The worker bees choose common larvae - those who would normally be mere workers. They are nothing special. They are not born different. But their fate changes completely. They are chosen to receive a special food: royal jelly. A rare substance, produced by healthy bees, rich in proteins, vitamins and bioactive compounds. This is royal food in the purest sense of the word. The larvae fed ...
Read more

Novel Acoustic Wave Discovered

Image
  A new diffraction phenomenon was researched and published on January 14, 2025. The team was led by Tohoku University with collaboration from the Japan atomic energy agency and the RIKEN Center for emergent matter science. Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) are elastic vibrations. They travel along the surface of materials, not unlike ripples on a pond. SAWs are an important part of frequency filters used in every day devices like our cell phones. These devices change electrical signals in vibrations, or ripples. This occurs because of the piezoelectric  effect and it enables efficient signal processing. During this experiment, the team created a periodic array of magnetic nanoscale materials. The magnetic array is a sort of specialized grating that the waves passed through. The scientists were surprised. Instead of the usual symmetric defraction, the team saw something different. They observed a completely new, asymmetrical diffraction of SAWs called ‘non-reciprocal defraction’....
Read more