Strengthening weak cohesive forces among molecules and atoms by light
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 - 09:00
in Physics & Chemistry
Researchers led by Yoshiyuki Miyamoto predicted from numerical simulations that weak cohesive forces acting among molecules and atoms that are not chemically bonded can be strengthened by irradiation of light whose wavelength (related to its energy) is tuned. The cause of strengthening the cohesive forces is induction of oscillating positive and negative charges on molecules/atoms which generates electric attraction. The phenomenon predicted in the present research is expected to be applied to formation technology for structures built by the weak cohesive forces such as molecular crystals, which are used for organic devices.