arXiv subjects

Loïse Attal

Publications and source records attributed to Loïse Attal.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

An effective bath state approach to model infrared spectroscopy and intramolecular dynamics in complex molecules

When a molecule contains more than a few atoms, its full-dimensional dynamics becomes untractable, especially when introducing temperature effects. In such a case, it can be interesting to focus only on a few degrees of freedom and to model the rest of the molecule as a finite-dimensional bath. In this prospect, we extend the effective bath state (EBS) method that we had first developed and benchmarked in [J. Chem. Phys. \textbf{160}, 044107 (2024)] to describe the spectroscopy and intramolecular dynamics of complex isolated molecules. The EBS method is a system-bath approach based on the coarse-graining of the bath into a reduced set of effective energy states. It allows for a significant reduction of the bath dimension and makes finite-temperature calculations more accessible. In order to treat a realistic molecule, the method is extended to include polynomial couplings in the bath coordinates. The ability of the method to model temperature-resolved infrared spectra and to follow population transfers between the vibrational modes of the molecule is first tested on a 10-mode model system. The extended method is then applied to the realistic case of phenylacetylene.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

Modeling the dynamics of quantum systems coupled to large dimensional baths using effective energy states

The quantum dynamics of a low-dimensional system in contact with a large but finite harmonic bath is theoretically investigated by coarse-graining the bath into a reduced set of effective energy states. In this model, the couplings between the system and the bath are obtained from the statistical average over the discrete, degenerate effective states. Our model is aimed at intermediate bath sizes in which non-Markovian processes and energy transfer between the bath and the main system are important. The method is applied to a model system of a Morse oscillator coupled to 40 harmonic modes. The results are found to be in excellent agreement with the direct quantum dynamics simulations of Bouakline et al. [J. Phys. Chem. A 116, 11118-11127 (2012)], but at a much lower computational cost. Extension to larger baths is discussed in comparison to the time-convolutionless method. We also extend this study to the case of a microcanonical bath with finite initial internal energies. The computational efficiency and convergence properties of the effective bath states model with respect to relevant parameters are also discussed.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

Coherent state switching using vibrational polaritons in an asymmetric double-well potential

The quantum dynamics of vibrational polaritonic states arising from the interaction of a bistable molecule with the quantized mode of a Fabry-Perot microcavity is investigated using an asymmetric double-well potential as a simplified one-dimensional model of a reactive molecule. After discussing the role of the light-matter coupling strength in the emergence of avoided crossings between polaritonic states, we investigate the possibility of using these crossings in order to trigger a dynamical switching of these states from one potential well to the other. Two schemes are proposed to achieve this coherent state switching, either by preparing the molecule in an appropriate vibrational excited state before inserting it into the cavity, or by applying a short laser pulse inside the cavity to obtain a coherent superposition of polaritonic states. The respective influences of the dipole amplitude and potential asymmetry on the coherent switching process are also discussed.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2023

Extracting vibrational anharmonicities from short driven molecular dynamics trajectories

Anharmonicities provide a wealth of information about the vibrational dynamics, mode coupling and energy transfer within a polyatomic system. In this contribution we show how driven molecular dynamics trajectories can be used to extract anharmonicity properties under very short times of a few hundreds of vibrational periods, using two exciting fields at- and slightly off-resonance. Detailed analyses on generic quartic potential energy surfaces and applications to various model systems are presented, giving good agreement with perturbation theory. Application to a realistic molecule, cubane (C$_8$H$_8$), modeled with a tight-binding quantum force field, further indicates how the method can be applied in practical cases.

physics.chem-ph↗