Skip to main content
Physics

Return to Question

Tweeted twitter.com/#!/StackPhysics/status/376861454282264576
Bibliography.
Source Link
Emilio Pisanty
Emilio Pisanty
  • 135.4k
  • 33
  • 358
  • 677

In reference to this paper, http://iopscience.iop.org/1355-5111/8/1/014, we

Localization of an atom by homodyne measurement. A. M. Herkommer et al. Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 8 no. 1, p. 189 (1996) (paywalled).

the authors are able to localize atoms using homodyne measurement. Would it be too naive to consider we can measure the position of atoms that make up molecules? I know that the LCAO (Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals) is a widely used method to approximate molecular orbitals. This leads me to think, whether or not we can use homodyne measurements to measure the position of atoms in a molecule. If homodyne measurements don't work, what other ways are there to gain information about the position wavefunction of molecules for let's say, H2H2?

Example I'm considering: I'm thinking that the position wavefunction for H2,H2 would be its molecular orbitals. If we estimated its molecular wavefunction as a linear combination of two atomic H orbitals that are in close proximity to each other, then... can't there be some way of applying homodyne measurement techniques to gain information about the position wavefunction of the two H atoms?

In reference to this paper, http://iopscience.iop.org/1355-5111/8/1/014, we are able to localize atoms using homodyne measurement. Would it be too naive to consider we can measure the position of atoms that make up molecules? I know that the LCAO (Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals) is a widely used method to approximate molecular orbitals. This leads me to think, whether or not we can use homodyne measurements to measure the position of atoms in a molecule. If homodyne measurements don't work, what other ways are there to gain information about the position wavefunction of molecules for let's say, H2?

Example I'm considering: I'm thinking that the position wavefunction for H2, would be its molecular orbitals. If we estimated its molecular wavefunction as a linear combination of two atomic H orbitals that are in close proximity to each other, then... can't there be some way of applying homodyne measurement techniques to gain information about the position wavefunction of the two H atoms?

In this paper,

Localization of an atom by homodyne measurement. A. M. Herkommer et al. Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 8 no. 1, p. 189 (1996) (paywalled).

the authors are able to localize atoms using homodyne measurement. Would it be too naive to consider we can measure the position of atoms that make up molecules? I know that the LCAO (Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals) is a widely used method to approximate molecular orbitals. This leads me to think, whether or not we can use homodyne measurements to measure the position of atoms in a molecule. If homodyne measurements don't work, what other ways are there to gain information about the position wavefunction of molecules for let's say, H2?

Example I'm considering: I'm thinking that the position wavefunction for H2 would be its molecular orbitals. If we estimated its molecular wavefunction as a linear combination of two atomic H orbitals that are in close proximity to each other, then... can't there be some way of applying homodyne measurement techniques to gain information about the position wavefunction of the two H atoms?

Source Link
QEntanglement
QEntanglement
  • 3.9k
  • 8
  • 40
  • 54

What methods exist for us to measure the position and momentum of atoms that make up molecules?

In reference to this paper, http://iopscience.iop.org/1355-5111/8/1/014, we are able to localize atoms using homodyne measurement. Would it be too naive to consider we can measure the position of atoms that make up molecules? I know that the LCAO (Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals) is a widely used method to approximate molecular orbitals. This leads me to think, whether or not we can use homodyne measurements to measure the position of atoms in a molecule. If homodyne measurements don't work, what other ways are there to gain information about the position wavefunction of molecules for let's say, H2?

Example I'm considering: I'm thinking that the position wavefunction for H2, would be its molecular orbitals. If we estimated its molecular wavefunction as a linear combination of two atomic H orbitals that are in close proximity to each other, then... can't there be some way of applying homodyne measurement techniques to gain information about the position wavefunction of the two H atoms?