In collaboration with UO Physics Professors Michael Raymer and Brian Smith, our groups are studying the interactions between molecular systems and sources of photons that are quantum mechanically entangled. Specifically, we are using quantum entangled photon-pairs to optically excite two-photon absorbing transitions in a molecular sample. These experiments aim to answer the question of whether quantum entanglement of the exciting photons can provide a significant advantage for molecular spectroscopy in comparison to the analogous experiments using standard light sources.

Graduate students Dylan Heussman (Chemistry and Biochemistry) and Tiemo Landes (Physics) discussing an experiment.