Measurable Delay in Charge Transfer Processes Observed

Recent research has revealed a measurable delay in charge transfer processes, which are fundamental to various physical and chemical phenomena. The study, titled "1.5-Femtosecond Delay in Charge Transfer," was conducted by Danylo T. Matselyukh and colleagues, and published on August 30, 2024, on arXiv.

The researchers utilized attosecond spectroscopy combined with advanced quantum-chemical calculations to measure a delay of 1.46 ± 0.41 femtoseconds (fs) at a charge-transfer state crossing in CF₃I⁺. This process involves the movement of an electron hole from fluorine to iodine atoms.

In addition to the delay, the study identified other key quantum-dynamical processes involved in charge transfer, including a vibrational rearrangement time of 9.38 ± 0.21 fs and a population-transfer time of 2.3-2.4 fs. The findings indicate that delays in population transfer can occur in otherwise adiabatic reactions, typically around 1 fs for intersecting molecular valence states.

These results have implications across multiple research areas, including atomic and molecular physics, charge transfer, and light harvesting. Understanding these delays could enhance the efficiency of processes like solar energy conversion and photochemistry, where charge transfer plays a critical role.

For further details, the paper can be accessed at arXiv:2408.17402.