Unveiling the Chemical Complexity of Quantum Decoherence

Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed a method to extract the spectral density for molecules in solvent using resonance Raman experiments, allowing for a better understanding of quantum decoherence. By mapping decoherence pathways, scientists can now connect molecular structure with quantum decoherence, opening the door to designing molecules with specific quantum coherence properties. The team demonstrated how electronic superpositions in thymine, a DNA building block, unravel in just 30 femtoseconds following UV light absorption. They also found that chemical modifications to thymine can significantly alter the decoherence rate.