Interference is in the eye of the beholder: Application to the coherent control of collisional processes.

Interference is widely regarded as a foundational attribute of quantum mechanics. However, for a given experimental arrangement, interference can either contribute or not contribute to the outcome depending upon the basis in which it is measured. This observation is both foundational and particularly relevant to coherent control of molecular processes, an approach based upon quantum interference. Here, we address this issue and its relevance to controlling molecular processes via the "coherent control scattering (CCS) matrix," a formalism that allows for an analysis of modifications in an interference structure resulting from a change of basis. This analysis reveals that the change in the interference structure can be attributed to the non-commutativity of the transformation matrix with the CCS matrix and the non-orthogonality of the transformation. Additionally, minimal interference is shown to be associated with the CCS eigenbasis and that the Fourier transform of the eigenvectors of the CCS matrix provides the maximal interference and hence the best coherent control. The change of controllability through a change of basis is illustrated with an example of 85Rb+ 85Rb scattering. In addition, the developed formalism is applied to explain recent experimental results on He + D2 inelastic scattering demonstrating the presence or absence of interference depending on the basis.

Coherent Control of Ultracold Molecular Collisions: The Role of Resonances.

We consider the coherent control of ultracold molecule-molecule scattering, impacted by a dense set of rovibrational resonances. To characterize the resonance spectrum, a rudimentary model based on multichannel quantum defect theory has been used to study the control of the scattering cross section and the reaction rate. Complete control around resonance energies is shown to be possible, but thermal averaging over a large number of resonances significantly reduces the extent of control of reaction rates related to the random distribution of optimal control parameters between resonances. We show that measuring the extent of coherent control could be used to extract meaningful information about the relative contribution of direct scattering versus collision complex formation, as well as about the statistical regime.

Complete Quantum Coherent Control of Ultracold Molecular Collisions.

We show that quantum interference-based coherent control is a highly efficient tool for tuning ultracold molecular collision dynamics that is free from the limitations of commonly used methods that rely on external electromagnetic fields. By varying the relative populations and phases of initial coherent superpositions of degenerate molecular states, we demonstrate complete coherent control over integral scattering cross sections in the ultracold s-wave regime of both the initial and final collision channels. The proposed control methodology is applied to ultracold O_{2}+O_{2} collisions, showing extensive control over s-wave spin-exchange cross sections and product branching ratios over many orders of magnitude.

Quantum effects in ultrafast electron transfers within cryptochromes.

Cryptochromes and photolyases are flavoproteins that may undergo ultrafast charge separation upon electronic excitation of their flavin cofactors. Charge separation involves chains of three or four tryptophan residues depending on the protein of interest. The molecular mechanisms of these processes are not completely clear. In the present work we investigate the relevance of quantum effects like the occurrence of nuclear tunneling and of coherences upon charge transfer in Arabidopsis thaliana cryptochromes. The possible breakdown of the Condon approximation is also investigated. We have devised a simulation protocol based on the realization of molecular dynamics simulations on diabatic potential energy surfaces defined at the hybrid constrained density functional theory/molecular mechanics level. The outcomes of the simulations are analyzed through various dedicated kinetics schemes related to the Marcus theory that account for the aforementioned quantum effects. MD simulations also provide a basic material to define realistic model Hamiltonians for subsequent quantum dissipative dynamics. To carry out quantum simulations, we have implemented an algorithm based on the Hierarchical Equations of Motion. With this new tool in hand we have been able to model the electron transfer chain considering either two- or three-state models. Kinetic models and quantum simulations converge to the conclusion that quantum effects have a significant impact on the rate of charge separation. Nuclear tunneling involving atoms of the tryptophan redox cofactors as well as of the environment (protein atoms and water molecules) is significant. On the other hand non-Condon effects are negligible in most simulations. Taken together, the results of the present work provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms controlling charge separation in this family of flavoproteins.