Scientists reveal the secret dance of molecules in the quantum realm!

Scientists reveal the secret dance of molecules in the quantum realm!

On August 8, 2025, researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt will report significant progress in the visualization of quantum mechanical movements. As part of a joint project with the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics and the European XFEL in Schenefeld near Hamburg, they made quantum mechanical zero-point motion visible in larger molecules for the first time. This movement occurs even at absolute zero temperature, meaning that molecules do not come to rest even when they are in their lowest energetic state.

The team examined a complex molecule, 2-iodopyridine (C5H4IN), which consists of eleven atoms. The results were published in the renowned journal “Science”. Prof. Till Jahnke explains that atoms in molecules vibrate in a coupled manner and their movements are not independent. During the analysis, 27 different vibration modes of iodopyridine were recorded.

Coulomb explosion method

To study these quantum mechanical phenomena, the team used Coulomb explosion imaging (CEI). This method allows X-ray laser pulses to remove electrons from atoms, resulting in a positively charged ion configuration. The atomic nuclei fly apart explosively, which is described as a microscopic Big Bang. The measurements revealed that charged atoms can be found outside the classically expected molecular level, which opened up new insights into quantum fluctuations.

The COLTRIMS reaction microscope used for this purpose, which was developed in Frankfurt, measures the times and locations of impact of the atomic debris. This enables an exact reconstruction of the molecular structure. The data collected was originally recorded in another experiment at the European XFEL in 2019 and collaboration with theoretical physicists has significantly improved the interpretation of these measurement data.

Outlook for future research

The results of these studies open up new perspectives for the study of complex quantum mechanical systems, such as the movements of electrons in molecules. A future project, funded as part of the federal and state excellence strategy, aims to study larger molecules and create time-resolved films of their movements. The time resolution could fall below a femtosecond, which promises significant advances in molecular physics and chemistry.

The team's scientific achievements illustrate how important interdisciplinary collaboration is in modern research. Advances like these are crucial to deepen our understanding of the fundamental physical processes in molecules and to further push the boundaries of quantum mechanical research. These findings, the puk.uni-frankfurt.de, cui-advanced.uni-hamburg.de as well as nature.com comprehensively documented, represent a milestone in experimental physics.