Ergodicity breaking in rapidly rotating C 60 fullerenes

Liu, Lee R.; Rosenberg, Dina; Changala, P. Bryan; Crowley, Philip J.  D.; Nesbitt, David J.; Yao, Norman Y.; Tscherbul, Timur V.; Ye, Jun

doi:10.1126/science.adi6354

Ergodicity breaking in rapidly rotating C ₆₀ fullerenes

Journal Article · 18 August 2023 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi6354· OSTI ID:2419620

^[1]; ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[3]; Nesbitt, David J. ^[4]; ^[3]; ^[5]; ^[2]

JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.; Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.; OSTI
JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.; Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02135, USA.
JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.; Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.; Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA.

Ergodicity, the central tenet of statistical mechanics, requires an isolated system to explore all available phase space constrained by energy and symmetry. Mechanisms for violating ergodicity are of interest for probing nonequilibrium matter and protecting quantum coherence in complex systems. Polyatomic molecules have long served as a platform for probing ergodicity breaking in vibrational energy transport. Here, we report the observation of rotational ergodicity breaking in an unprecedentedly large molecule,¹²C₆₀, determined from its icosahedral rovibrational fine structure. The ergodicity breaking occurs well below the vibrational ergodicity threshold and exhibits multiple transitions between ergodic and nonergodic regimes with increasing angular momentum. These peculiar dynamics result from the molecule’s distinctive combination of symmetry, size, and rigidity, highlighting its relevance to emergent phenomena in mesoscopic quantum systems.

Research Organization:: Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

DOE Contract Number:: SC0002123

OSTI ID:: 2419620

Journal Information:: Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 6659 Vol. 381; ISSN 0036-8075

Publisher:: AAAS

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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