Imperial College London

Henry Rzepa

A little while ago I pondered [allotropic
bromine](https://www.ch.imperial.ac.uk/rzepa/blog/?p=13987), or
Br(Br)~3~. But this is a far wackier
report\[cite\]10.1126/science.aao7293\[/cite\] of *a molecule of light.*

The preparation and detection of dimer and trimer bound photon states is
pure physics; probably considered by the physicists themselves as NOT
chemistry. It is certainly true, as a chemist,  that I understood only a
little of the article. But chemistry uses photons extensively in the
area we call photochemistry. We represent photons as hν, and hence
(hν)~3~.

This molecular light has some fascinating properties. One is that it
travels around 100,000 times slower than the usual speed of light.
Another is the estimate of the photon-photon binding energies, which are
\~10^10^ times smaller than in diatomic molecules such as NaCl and H~2~.
I await with interest to see whether this new state of light will
achieve any interesting chemistry.

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A little while ago I pondered allotropic bromine, or Br(Br)
<sub>
 3
</sub>
. But this is a far wackier report[cite]10.1126/science.aao7293[/cite] of
<i>
 a molecule of light.
</i>
The preparation and detection of dimer and trimer bound photon states is pure physics; probably considered by the physicists themselves as NOT chemistry. It is certainly true, as a chemist,  that I understood only a little of the article.

Postagens de Rogue Scholar

Is (hν)3 an allotrope of light?