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Dryad

Quantum interference observed in state-resolved molecule-surface scattering

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Jan 17, 2025 version files 230.74 KB

Abstract

While the dynamics of collisions between a molecule and a solid surface are ultimately quantum mechanical, decohering effects owing to the large number of interacting degrees of freedom typically obscure the wave-like nature of these events. However, a partial decoupling of internal molecular motion from external degrees of freedom can permit striking interference effects to be manifest despite significant momentum exchange between the molecule and the bath of surface vibrations. We report state-prepared and state-resolved measurements of methane scattering from a gold surface which demonstrate total destructive interference between molecular states related by a reflection symmetry operation. High contrast interference effects prevail for all processes investigated, including vibrationally excited and vibrationally inelastic collisions. The results demonstrate the uniquely quantum mechanical effect of discrete symmetries in molecular collision dynamics.