Chiral control of electron transmission through molecules.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Electron transmission through chiral molecules induced by circularly polarized light can be very different for mirror-image structures, a peculiar fact given that the electronic energy spectra of the systems are identical. We propose that this asymmetry--as large as 10% for resonant transport--arises from different dynamical responses of the mirrored structures to coherent excitation. This behavior is described in the context of a general novel phenomenon of current transfer (transfer of charge with its momentum information) and accounts for the observed asymmetry and its dependence on structure.

Full Text

Published version (via Digital Object Identifier)

Duke Authors

Beratan, David N.

Cited Authors

Skourtis, SS; Beratan, DN; Naaman, R; Nitzan, A; Waldeck, DH

Published Date

December 2008

Published In

Physical Review Letters

Volume / Issue

101 / 23

Start / End Page

238103 -

PubMed ID

19113598

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

1079-7114

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0031-9007

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1103/physrevlett.101.238103

Scholars@Duke