Wave–particle duality of C60 molecules

• Published in: Nature (London) 1999-10, Vol.401 (6754), p.680-682
• Main Authors: Arndt, Markus, Nairz, Olaf, Vos-Andreae, Julian, Keller, Claudia, van der Zouw, Gerbrand, Zeilinger, Anton
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic and molecular clusters; Atomic and molecular physics; Classical and quantum physics: mechanics and fields; Exact sciences and technology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Interferometry; letter; Matter waves; Molecules; multidisciplinary; Physics; Quantum theory; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Studies of special atoms, molecules and their ions; clusters
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/44348

Quantum superposition lies at the heart of quantum mechanics and gives rise to many of its paradoxes. Superposition of de Broglie matter waves 1 has been observed for massive particles such as electrons 2 , atoms and dimers 3 , small van der Waals clusters 4 , and neutrons 5 . But matter wave interferometry with larger objects has remained experimentally challenging, despite the development of powerful atom interferometric techniques for experiments in fundamental quantum mechanics, metrology and lithography 6 . Here we report the observation of de Broglie wave interference of C 60 molecules by diffraction at a material absorption grating. This molecule is the most massive and complex object in which wave behaviour has been observed. Of particular interest is the fact that C 60 is almost a classical body, because of its many excited internal degrees of freedom and their possible couplings to the environment. Such couplings are essential for the appearance of decoherence 7 , 8 , suggesting that interference experiments with large molecules should facilitate detailed studies of this process.