Each week we present and discuss publications out of the world of atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics. Topics are of experimental and theoretical relevance.

This week, Francesco Andreoli (Theoretical Quantum Nanophotonics) will present:

Paper: 

Tilting a ground-state reactivity landscape by vibrational strong coupling

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aau7742

Abstract:

It seems intuitive that putting vibrational energy into a chemical bond ought to promote selective cleavage of that bond. In fact, the relation of vibrational excitation to reactivity has generally proven subtler and more complex. Thomas et al. studied how strong coupling of specific vibrational modes to an optical cavity might influence a molecule with two competing reactive sites. The molecule had two silicon centers that could react with fluoride by respective cleavage of a Si–C or Si–O bond. Exciting the vibrations at either center slowed down the overall reaction while favoring otherwise disfavored Si–O cleavage.