Darmstadt 2008 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 45: Materiewellenoptik

Q 45.7: Talk

Thursday, March 13, 2008, 15:30–15:45, 3G

Towards quantum optics with biomolecular clusters — •Philipp Haslinger, Markus Marksteiner, Hendrik Ulbricht, and Markus Arndt — Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Austria

We present recent progress towards matter wave experiments with large biomolecular clusters. All successful experiments on macromolecule interferometry so far, with fullerenes [Nature1999], fullerene derivates [PRL2003] and large perfluoroalkyl-functionalized azobenzenes [Nature2007] used effusive beam sources. In order to prepare experiments with molecules of biological interest, we have implemented a pulsed laser desorption source. The combination of UV laser desorption into an intense noble gas jet and single-photon ionization by a VUV excimer laser (157nm) allows us to observe intense neutral jets of amino acids, nucleotides and polypeptides. We recently discovered a new method for producing large and neutral amino acid-metal complexes, such as for instance Ca@Trp2...Ca@Trp30, with masses exceeding 6000 amu. The addition of alkaline Earth salts in the desorption process leads to the inclusion of at least one metal atom per complex and is sufficient to catalyze the cluster formation process. We discuss how interferometric deflectometry might help in obtaining additional information about the structure of such large molecular compounds.