@article{Ma:2020:10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.053604,
author = {Ma, Y and Khosla, K and Stickler, B and Kim, M},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.053604},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
title = {Quantum persistent tennis racket dynamics of nanorotors},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.053604},
volume = {125},
year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Classical rotations of asymmetric rigid bodies are unstable around the axis of intermediate moment of inertia, causing a flipping of rotor orientation. This effect, known as the tennis racket effect, quickly averages to zero in classical ensembles since the flipping period varies significantly upon approaching the separatrix. Here, we explore the quantum rotations of rapidly spinning thermal asymmetric nanorotors and show that classically forbidden tunnelling gives rise to persistent tennis racket dynamics, in stark contrast to the classical expectation. We characterise this effect, demonstrating that quantum coherent flipping dynamics can persist even in the regime where millions of angular momentum states are occupied. This persistent flipping offers a promising route for observing and exploiting quantum effects in rotational degrees of freedom for molecules and nanoparticles.
AU  - Ma,Y
AU  - Khosla,K
AU  - Stickler,B
AU  - Kim,M
DO  - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.053604
PY  - 2020///
SN  - 0031-9007
TI  - Quantum persistent tennis racket dynamics of nanorotors
T2  - Physical Review Letters
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.053604
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/80844
VL  - 125
ER  - 

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