Communications: Spatial separation of enantiomers by coherent optical means

Abstract

We show that it is possible to spatially separate a ("racemic") mixture of left-handed and right-handed chiral molecules using optically induced forces. The separation is affected by the irradiation of the racemic mixture with three spatially inhomogeneous and partially overlapping cw laser fields, giving rise to enantiomeric and vibrational dependent light-induced forces. Two experimental arrangements, one consisting of placing the racemate in 1 mK optical trap, the second composed of a tightly skimmed molecular beam of the racemic mixture, forming one arm of a four-sided cavity, are numerically tested by performing quantum wave packet propagation and classical trajectories. Both the classical and the quantum simulations show an essentially perfect spatial separation between enantiomers of several vibrational states. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.