Phys.org  April 12, 2022
Researchers in Germany have realized a method to affect and measure the effective exchange interaction between several electrons bound in a molecule with two differently colored laser pulses. Using soft X-ray light, they excited an electron deeply bound to the sulfur atom in a sulfur hexafluoride molecule, thereby extending its radius of motion to the entire molecule for a short time before it leaves the molecule. Due to the spin-orbit interaction of the deeply bound electrons remaining there, the hole formed at the sulfur atom thereby produces a characteristic double structure of two lines measurable in the X-ray absorption spectrum. Increasing the IR intensity increases the effective exchange energy of the core hole with the excited electron by 50%, as observed by a characteristic spin-orbit branching ratio change. This work demonstrates altering electronic interactions by targeting many-particle quantum properties…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Schematic experiment. … Credit: Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 153001, 11 April 2022Â