Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 April 2026
This chapter presents commonly used experimental methods and external-field platforms for studying full quantum effects on the physical and chemical properties of condensed matter systems. The goal is to extract the information of nuclear quantum state from the experimentally measured signal, which requires immense care from experimental design to data analysis. The experimental techniques include nuclear magnetic resonance, neutron scattering, X-ray scattering, optical spectroscopy, photoemission spectroscopy, electron scattering, and scanning probe technology. The extreme conditions produced by the external-field platforms of big research facilities include extremely low temperatures, ultra-high pressures, high magnetic fields, and ultra-fast, ultra-intense light fields, as well as synergetic combinations of these. For technical approach, the chapter focuses on ways to overcome the measurement limits to manifest full quantum effects. It introduces basic principle of each technique for detection of nuclei information, and explain specific literature work that captures full quantum effects, like nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of hydrogen bond tunneling splitting in ice. Regarding external-field platforms, it focuses on how to realize the extreme external conditions, altering or even creating novel electronic/nuclear quantum states. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion on the outlook for future development of experimental techniques for the study of full quantum effects. It discusses shortcomings of current techniques for high spatial resolution, and proposes an integration of traditional microscopy and spectroscopy, and a combination of conventional detection methods with ultrafast laser technology, especially attosecond laser for probing electron dynamics.
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