Macroscopic quantum tunnelling of protons in the KHCO3 crystal

Macroscopic quantum entanglement reveals an unforeseen mechanism for proton transfer across hydrogen bonds in the solid state. We utilize neutron scattering techniques to study proton dynamics in the crystal of potassiumhydrogencarbonate (KHCO3) composed of small planar centrosymmetric dimer entities (HCO3−)2 linked by moderately strong hydrogen bonds. All protons are indistinguishable, they behave as fermions, and they are degenerate. The sublattice of protons is a superposition of macroscopic single-particle states. At elevated temperature, protons are progressively transferred to secondary sites at ≈0.6 Å from the main position, via tunnelling along hydrogen bonds. The macroscopic quantum entanglement, still observed at 300 K, reveals that proton transfer is a coherent process throughout the crystal arising from a superposition of macroscopic tunnelling states.