Artificial molecules that behave like real ones

Scientists from the Radboud University have developed synthetic molecules that resemble real organic molecules. A collaboration of researchers, led by Alex Khajetoorians and Daniel Wegner, can now simulate the behaviour of real molecules by using artificial molecules. In this way, they can tweak properties of molecules in ways that are normally difficult or unrealistic, and they can understand much better how molecules change. Emil Sierda, who was in charge of conducting the experiments at Radboud University: 'A few years ago we had this crazy idea to build a quantum simulator. We wanted to create artificial molecules that resembled real molecules. So we developed a system in which we trapped electrons. Electrons surround a molecule like a cloud, and we used those trapped electrons to build an artificial molecule.' The results the team found were astonishing.