Chemical reactions in quantum crystals

Abstract

Solid parahydrogen, known as a quantum crystal, is a novel matrix for the study of physical and chemical processes of molecules at low temperatures by high-resolution infrared spectroscopy. Ro-vibrational motion of molecules embedded in solid parahydrogen is well quantized on account of the weak interaction in the crystal. In addition, molecules are almost free from the cage effect because of the softness of the quantum crystal, so that a variety of chemical reactions could be observed for molecules in solid parahydrogen at liquid He temperatures. In this article, we survey our recent studies on photodissociation of methyl radicals and subsequent reactions in solid parahydrogen, and discuss (1) the nuclear spin selection rule in chemical reactions and (2) pure tunnelling reactions obtained from the analysis of the present system.

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Acknowledgement

This study was partially supported by Grant-in-aid for Scientific Research of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of Japan.

Notes

§Present address: Institute fur Experimentalphysik, Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany.

¶Present address: Kawase Initiative Research Unit, RIKEN, Wako, Japan.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mizuho Fushitani§

§Present address: Institute fur Experimentalphysik, Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany.

Hiromichi Hoshina¶

¶Present address: Kawase Initiative Research Unit, RIKEN, Wako, Japan.