New Insights into Charge Transfer Dynamics: A 1.5-Femtosecond Delay 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," conducted by Danylo T. Matselyukh and colleagues, utilized attosecond spectroscopy alongside advanced quantum-chemical calculations to investigate these dynamics.

The researchers measured a delay of 1.46 ± 0.41 femtoseconds (fs) at a charge-transfer state crossing in CF₃I⁺, where an electron hole transitions from fluorine to iodine. This finding challenges the traditional two-state model of population transfer, which assumes instantaneous transfer between states. Instead, the study highlights that coupling to additional states, common in real-world systems, can introduce significant delays.

In addition to the charge transfer delay, the research identified a vibrational rearrangement time of 9.38 ± 0.21 fs and a population-transfer time of 2.3-2.4 fs. These results suggest that delays in population transfer are prevalent in otherwise adiabatic reactions, typically around 1 fs for intersecting molecular valence states.

The implications of this research extend across multiple fields, including atomic and molecular physics, charge transfer, and light harvesting. Understanding these delays can enhance the design of more efficient materials and processes in energy conversion and storage applications.

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