A real double sensation has happened in quantum physics. One team of scientists made an ultra-precise laser “clock” that allows you to catch the moment when an electron slips out of an atom. The other team observed an equally interesting phenomenon: a heavy fluorine atom slipped through the energy barrier, although according to all classical laws, it should have been stuck. Both discoveries show that the quantum world behaves much more cunningly than we used to think. Read on to find out how these discoveries will help us explore deep space.
An attoclock that “catches” an electron. A group of scientists from Wayne State University replaced an elliptically polarized laser with a strictly circular wave and precisely synchronized the maximum electric field with the pulse (CEP control). This made it possible to read the angle at which an electron is knocked out without the distortions of previous techniques. It turned out that the tunneling delay* is zero: the electron is delayed, and the main factor is the bonding force inside the atom. This accuracy opens the way to observing chemical reactions in real time!
*Tunneling or tunneling effect is a physical phenomenon that means that a physical object overcomes a potential barrier that is larger than its kinetic energy. The lighter the particle and the thinner the barrier, the greater the probability of tunneling. This is usually observed for electrons or hydrogen atoms, but now for the first time, it has been recorded in a relatively heavy fluorine atom. This phenomenon underlies the operation of tunneling microscopes, some semiconductor devices, and even the process of nuclear fusion inside the Sun.
Fluorine destroys the fluoro-wall. Another team published an article stating that by cooling metal + F mixtures in a solid neon matrix to -270 °C, the team came across an F5 – ion with a doubled IR signal. Quantum calculations showed that the central fluorine atom constantly tunnels between two equivalent positions, although its mass should make such a transition impossible. This is the first documented case of a heavy (compared to hydrogen) atom passing through a barrier without energy to overcome the top.
Why is this important? Both results expand our “toolkit” for space exploration. Attoclocks pave the way for more accurate time-keeping and fine-tuned laser networks in deep space, while knowledge of fluorine tunneling opens the door to cryogenic batteries and in-situ catalysis. In the long run, this means lighter vehicles, more autonomous missions, and new types of propulsion based on quantum processes instead of bulky classical solutions.
Interested in the quantum processes of electrons and fluorine? Then you will like our article “How are high-energy particles born in the Universe?” – where we trace the path of particles from the supernova core to detectors on Earth and explain why cosmic rays can have energy higher than any Earth-based accelerator. Follow the link and dive into the fascinating world of astrophysics!
