<i>Colloquium</i>: Quantum interference of clusters and molecules

TLDR

Three variants of a near‑field interference effect—diffraction by material nanostructures, optical phase gratings, and ionizing laser fields—are considered. The review surveys recent progress and future prospects of matter‑wave interferometry with complex organic molecules and inorganic clusters, and examines the feasibility of probing the quantum superposition principle at high particle mass and complexity. The authors discuss theoretical concepts, experimental challenges, interferometer design optimization, and decoherence effects underlying these matter‑wave interference experiments. Matter‑wave interference experiments exhibit high sensitivity to external perturbations, enabling accurate measurement of internal properties of delocalized nanoparticles.

Abstract

We review recent progress and future prospects of matter wave interferometry with complex organic molecules and inorganic clusters. Three variants of a near-field interference effect, based on diffraction by material nanostructures, at optical phase gratings, and at ionizing laser fields are considered. We discuss the theoretical concepts underlying these experiments and the experimental challenges. This includes optimizing interferometer designs as well as understanding the role of decoherence. The high sensitivity of matter wave interference experiments to external perturbations is demonstrated to be useful for accurately measuring internal properties of delocalized nanoparticles. We conclude by investigating the prospects for probing the quantum superposition principle in the limit of high particle mass and complexity.