Control of quantum dynamics of electron transfer in molecular loop structures: Spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry under strong decoherence

Abstract

Manipulation of quantum systems is the basis for many promising quantum technologies. However, how quantum mechanical principles can be used to manipulate the dynamics of quantum dissipative systems remains unanswered because of strong decoherence effects arising from interaction with the surrounding environment. In this work, we demonstrate that electron transfer dynamics in molecular loop structures can be manipulated with the use of Floquet engineering by applying a laser field. Despite strong dephasing, the system's dynamics spontaneously breaks the chiral symmetry of the loop in a controllable fashion, followed by the generation of a robust steady-state electronic current without an external voltage. An exponential scaling law that relates the magnitude of the current to the system-environment coupling strength is revealed numerically. The breaking of chiral symmetry and the consequent controllable unidirectional flow of electrons could be employed to construct functional molecular electronic circuits.