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Chemistry

Strange quantum event happens once every 10 billion chances

When two forms of hydrogen smash together an unusual process called quantum tunnelling can occur. Researchers have now worked out how rarely it happens

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

1 March 2023

Quantum tunelling can allow particles to pass through barriers

Quantum tunelling can allow particles to pass through barriers

University of Innsbruck/Harald Ritsch

When hydrogen molecules and charged atoms of deuterium collide, they can exchange a proton through a quantum process called tunnelling, but this only happens once in 10 billion collisions.

Quantum tunnelling is an odd effect that allows particles like electrons to travel through barriers in nano-sized devices or protons to move between molecules. The latter is important for chemistry, where a tunnelling proton can change the makeup of molecules even when they don’t have enough energy for a conventional reaction that …

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