Phys.org May 12, 2022
Coupling between molecules and vacuum photon fields inside an optical cavity has proven to be an effective way to engineer molecular properties, in particular reactivity. An international team of researchers (Norway, Italy) studied optical cavities and how the light trapped in them interacts with atoms, molecules, and other particles. Their framework explained modifications of the electronic structure due to the interaction with the photon field. They showed that the newly developed orbital theory could be used to predict cavity induced modifications of molecular reactivity and pinpoint classes of systems with significant cavity effects. They also investigated electronic cavity-induced modifications of reaction mechanisms in vibrational strong coupling regimes. The work could prove valuable for the development of energy-efficient chemical processes or drug synthesis…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Orbital properties in optical cavities. Credit: Nature Communications volume 13, Article number: 1368 (2022)Â