Scientists at JILA, a joint institute of NIST and the University of Colorado, have observed chemical reactions at ultralow temperatures near absolute zero for the first time. By cooling molecules to just a few hundred billionths of a Kelvin, they were able to study how quantum mechanics governs molecular interactions and reactions.
The research team, led by NIST physicists Deborah Jin and Jun Ye, created a gas of stable, strongly interacting ultracold molecules and precisely controlled their internal states. By measuring how many molecules were lost over time under various conditions, they observed heat-producing chemical reactions where molecules exchanged atoms and formed new bonds.
Key findings include:
– Quantum effects dictate whether molecules react or stay apart
– Reactions can be suppressed by controlling molecular spin states
– Molecules behave as fermions, with identical spins less likely to react
– The research expands the understanding of chemistry and opens new directions for studying molecular interactions
The work has implications for advancing biology, creating new materials, producing energy, and other research areas. It may also provide practical tools for “designer chemistry” and other applications such as precision measurements and quantum computing.
Keywords: Ultracold, Quantum Mechanics, Fermions, Quantum Chemistry, Ultralow Temperature
