Geometric phases of electrons due to spin-rotation coupling in rotating C60 molecules
Abstract
The rapidly rotational motion of C60 molecules will provide us with an ingenious way to test Mashhoon’s spin-rotation coupling. Since in the low-temperature phase (below 300 K) of C60 solid the noncentral intermolecular potential will cause the precession and nutation of rotating frequency of C60 molecules, which gives rise to a time-dependent coupling of valency electron spin to the C60 rotation, the electron wave functions in rotating C60 molecules will acquire geometric phases arising from this time-dependent spin-rotation coupling. The geometric phases of valency electrons in C60 molecules is calculated by using the Lewis-Riesenfeld invariant theory in the present paper. It is shown that geometric phases of electrons in C60 molecules may be measured through the photoelectron spectroscopy of C60. A physically interesting fact that the information about rotation and precession of C60 molecules in the orientational ordered (or disordered) phase may be read off from the photoelectron spectroscopy of C60 is also demonstrated. Thus, the measurement of variation of C60 rotating frequency through the photoelectron spectroscopy will enable us to obtain the noncentral intermolecular potential, which is helpful in investigating the molecular mechanics of C60 solid.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review B
- Pub Date:
- November 2003
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevB.68.195421
- arXiv:
- arXiv:quant-ph/0301094
- Bibcode:
- 2003PhRvB..68s5421S
- Keywords:
-
- 61.48.+c;
- 03.65.Vf;
- Fullerenes and fullerene-related materials;
- Phases: geometric;
- dynamic or topological;
- Quantum Physics
- E-Print:
- 5 pages, Latex