Chemical Reaction Dynamics under Vibrational Strong Coupling

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1. Verfasser: Hunt, Andrew C.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
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author Hunt, Andrew C.
author_facet Hunt, Andrew C.
contents In this thesis, we use classical, semi-classical and quantum-mechanical methods to simulate chemical reaction dynamics inside of an optical cavity. Within such a cavity, by selectively coupling vibrational modes of the reactants to the vacuum state of light, recent experiments have observed significant changes in reaction rates and equilibrium constants - all without any external input of energy. We investigate the dynamics of both a single reaction and an ensemble of N identical reactions coupled to the cavity. In our single reactant studies, we find significant modification to the rate of reaction and to its quantum-mechanical equilibrium constant. All of the effects observed in our single molecule studies are however found to diminish as the number of reactants is increased. For any experimentally relevant number of molecules, the cavity effects on the reaction rate and the equilibrium constant are therefore shown to be negligible within all theories considered in this thesis. This thesis therefore does not offer any explanation for the experimental observations. It does however highlight issues with all current theoretical work on this topic, and provides suggestions - in light of the results presented here and in recent literature - as to what might be required to explain these effects.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2402_04256
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Chemical Reaction Dynamics under Vibrational Strong Coupling
Hunt, Andrew C.
Chemical Physics
Quantum Physics
In this thesis, we use classical, semi-classical and quantum-mechanical methods to simulate chemical reaction dynamics inside of an optical cavity. Within such a cavity, by selectively coupling vibrational modes of the reactants to the vacuum state of light, recent experiments have observed significant changes in reaction rates and equilibrium constants - all without any external input of energy. We investigate the dynamics of both a single reaction and an ensemble of N identical reactions coupled to the cavity. In our single reactant studies, we find significant modification to the rate of reaction and to its quantum-mechanical equilibrium constant. All of the effects observed in our single molecule studies are however found to diminish as the number of reactants is increased. For any experimentally relevant number of molecules, the cavity effects on the reaction rate and the equilibrium constant are therefore shown to be negligible within all theories considered in this thesis. This thesis therefore does not offer any explanation for the experimental observations. It does however highlight issues with all current theoretical work on this topic, and provides suggestions - in light of the results presented here and in recent literature - as to what might be required to explain these effects.
title Chemical Reaction Dynamics under Vibrational Strong Coupling
topic Chemical Physics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.04256