title: Reactant-product quantum coherence in electron transfer reactions.
abstract: We investigate the physical meaning of quantum superposition states between reactants and products in electron transfer reactions. We show that such superpositions are strongly suppressed and, to leading orders of perturbation theory, do not pertain in electron transfer reactions. This is because of the intermediate manifold of states separating the reactants from the products. We provide an intuitive description of these considerations with Feynman diagrams. We also discuss the relation of such quantum coherences to understanding the fundamental quantum dynamics of spin-selective radical-ion-pair reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Crete, Heraklion 71103, Greece.
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Kominis
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002627:Chemistry, Physical / Q000379:methods; D004579:Electron Transport; D004583:Electrons; D007700:Kinetics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010825:Physics / Q000379:methods*; D011789:Quantum Theory