Distinguishing left- and right-handed molecules is challenging, especially on ultrafast time scale. Traditionally one uses a chiral reagent, an object of known handedness, to determine the unknown handedness of a chiral molecule. In optics, one uses the spatial helix formed by circularly polarized light as a “chiral photonic reagent”. However, in optical domain the pitch of this helix – the light wavelength – does not match the size of the molecule, leading to very small chiral signals. In dipole approximation, circularly polarized light is not chiral: the Lissajous figure drawn by the tip of the electric field vector is confined to a plane – the dipole approximation smashes light helix into a circle. Since dominant optical response arises in the dipole approximation, it is destined to be the same in opposite molecular enantiomers.<br/>We will introduce a new concept of synthetic chiral light, which is chiral already in the dipole approximation.  Compared to the inefficient chiral reagent – the light helix in space, here the helix is in time. In synthetic chiral light the electric field vector draws a three dimensional chiral Lissajous figure, at every point in space.  This chiral structure appears already in the dipole approximation.  We will show how this chiral photonic reagent can be tuned to “react” with the desired enantiomer of a chiral molecule and not with its mirror twin, achieving the ultimate limit in efficiency of chiral discrimination. It applies both to light absorption and emission measurements.

<b>Award Address</b> (Ahmed Zewail Award in Ultrafast Science and Technology sponsored by the Ahmed Zewail Endowment Fund established by the Newport Corporation): Synthetic chiral light for efficient control of chiral light-matter interaction

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

[Author Benefits](https://scimeetings.acs.org/?utm_source=pubs_content_marketing&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=0320_MCF_NPI_Launch_Spring_Homepage&ref=pubs_content_marketing)

[How to use SciMeetings](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMeetings-ACSSpring2020-HowToGuide_M3020-Final.pdf)

[Frequently Asked Questions](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMtng_ACSNMSp2020_FAQ_M3120_Final.pdf)

ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.

Award Address (Ahmed Zewail Award in Ultrafast Science and Technology sponsored by the Ahmed Zewail Endowment Fund established by the Newport Corporation): Synthetic chiral light for efficient control of chiral light-matter interaction