title: Radical-ion-pair reactions are the biochemical equivalent of the optical double-slit experiment.
abstract: Radical-ion-pair reactions were recently shown to represent a rich biophysical laboratory for the application of quantum measurement theory methods and concepts. Here we show that radical-ion-pair reactions essentially form a nonlinear biochemical double-slit interferometer. Quantum coherence effects are visible when "which-path" information is limited, and the incoherent limit is approached when measurement-induced decoherence sets in. Based on this analogy with the optical double-slit experiment we derive and elaborate on the fundamental master equation of spin-selective radical-ion-pair reactions that covers the continuous range from complete incoherence to maximum singlet-triplet coherence.
authors: Department of Physics, University of Crete, Heraklion GR-71103, Greece.
authors: Iannis K
authors: IK
authors: Kominis
mesh_terms: D001671:Biochemistry; D007368:Interferometry; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D011789:Quantum Theory