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Peer-reviewedCC BYScience Advances

Two protons, two positrons, and four electrons: Covalent bond with van der Waals characteristics

  • Jorge Charry1,2,3
  • Alexandre Tkatchenko1
  1. 1Department of Physics and Materials Science, University of Luxembourg, L-1511 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.
  2. 2Luxembourg Researchers Hub asbl, 223 rue de Luxembourg, L-4222 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
  3. 3HPC Platform, University of Luxembourg, L-4364 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
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Abstract

Classifying interactions is key in the physical sciences, and bonding mechanisms in matter-antimatter systems remain particularly enigmatic. Here, we focus on a paradigmatic example of positronium hydride (PsH) dimer composed of two protons, two positrons, and four electrons, whose bonding nature has been previously described as either ionic, covalent, or van der Waals like. Accurate quantum Monte Carlo calculations show that the two positrons occupy a delocalized molecular orbital that envelopes the two hydrogen anions and responds as a collective dipole to an applied electric field. This positronic bonding stems from quantum correlations that resemble a single covalent bond formed between negatively charged pseudonuclei, but with a bond strength commensurate with the traditional van der Waals interaction. Our findings suggest that the ability to form delocalized proto-bonds is a more general property of quantum systems and could be present in a broader class of particles, antiparticles, and quasiparticles interacting with matter.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{charry2026protons,
  title = {{Two protons, two positrons, and four electrons: Covalent bond with van der Waals characteristics}},
  author = {Jorge Charry and Alexandre Tkatchenko},
  journal = {Science Advances},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aej0387},
  url = {https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aej0387},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Two protons, two positrons, and four electrons: Covalent bond with van der Waals characteristics
AU  - Jorge Charry
AU  - Alexandre Tkatchenko
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/02
JO  - Science Advances
DO  - 10.1126/sciadv.aej0387
UR  - https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aej0387
AB  - Classifying interactions is key in the physical sciences, and bonding mechanisms in matter-antimatter systems remain particularly enigmatic. Here, we focus on a paradigmatic example of positronium hydride (PsH) dimer composed of two protons, two positrons, and four electrons, whose bonding nature has been previously described as either ionic, covalent, or van der Waals like. Accurate quantum Monte Carlo calculations show that the two positrons occupy a delocalized molecular orbital that envelopes the two hydrogen anions and responds as a collective dipole to an applied electric field. This positronic bonding stems from quantum correlations that resemble a single covalent bond formed between negatively charged pseudonuclei, but with a bond strength commensurate with the traditional van der Waals interaction. Our findings suggest that the ability to form delocalized proto-bonds is a more general property of quantum systems and could be present in a broader class of particles, antiparticles, and quasiparticles interacting with matter.
SN  - 2375-2548
ER  -