Orbital evolution and promotion effects in the photoionization dynamics of2Σ−Rydberg states of OH

Inelastic excitation and charge transfer processes for oxygen in collision with H atoms

Potential energy functions of the OH molecule are investigated from small to large inter-atomic distances R. The electronic problem is treated using an efficient Full Configuration Interaction (Full CI) approach that avoids orbital jumps found usually in multi-configuration self-consistent-field followed by multi-reference configuration interaction calculations of excited states. The calculations are performed for all the doublet, quartet, and sextet OH molecular states, up to the O(2p³4s ³S) + H(1s ²S) asymptote, and for the lowest O^- + H⁺ and O⁺ + H^- ionic states. Inter-atomic distances, ranging from 0.5 Å to 20 Å, are spanned with a very small step in order to describe accurately the avoided crossings between the adiabatic potential energy functions. The accuracy of the potentials at small and large R values is analyzed. These Full CI calculations provide for the first time a global description of the 40 lowest molecular states of OH, well suited for dynamical calculations. The resulting potentials are used to obtain first estimates of cross sections and rate coefficients for different inelastic processes through the multichannel approach. This method, based on a Landau-Zener formalism taking into account the ionic-covalent avoided crossings at large distances, gives reliable results for the most intense transitions. It is shown that the largest rate coefficients correspond to mutual neutralization and ion-pair production processes.

(2+1) Resonance-enhanced ionization spectroscopy of a state-selected beam of OH radicals

A state-selected beam of hydroxyl radicals is generated using a pulsed discharge source and hexapole field. The OH radicals are characterized by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectroscopy via the nested D 2Sigma- and 3 2Sigma- Rydberg states. Simplified spectra are observed from the selected |MJ|=3/2 component of the upper Lambda-doublet level of the lowest rotational state (J=32) in ground (v"=0) and excited (v"=1-3) vibrational levels of the OH X 2Pi3/2 state. Two-photon transitions are observed to the D 2Sigma-(v'=0-3) and 3 2Sigma-(v'=0,1) vibronic levels, extending previous studies to higher vibrational levels of the Rydberg states. Spectroscopic constants are derived for the Rydberg states and compared with prior experimental studies. Complementary first-principle theoretical studies of the properties of the D 2Sigma- and 3 2Sigma- Rydberg states [see M. P. J. van der Loo and G. C. Groenenboom, J. Chem. Phys. 123, 074310 (2005), following paper] are used to interpret the experimental findings and examine the utility of the (2+1) REMPI scheme for sensitive detection of OH radicals.

Ab initiocalculation of (2+1) resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization spectra and lifetimes of the (D,3)Σ−2 states of OH and OD

High-level ab initio potential-energy curves and transition dipole moments for the OH X 2Pi, 2 2Pi, 1 2Sigma-, D 2Sigma-, 3 2Sigma-, A 2Sigma+, B 2Sigma+, 1 2Delta, 1 4Sigma-, and 1 4Pi states are computed. The results are used to estimate the (2+1) resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization spectrum for the (D,3)2Sigma-(upsilon')<--2hnuX 2Piupsilon") transitions, which are compared with experiments by Greenslade et al. [see M. E. Greenslade, M. I. Lester, D. C. Radenovic, J. A. van Roij, and D. H. Parker, J. Chem. Phys. 123, 074309 (2005), preceeding paper]. We use the discrete variable representation-absorbing boundary condition method to incorporate the effect of the dissociative intermediate 1 2Sigma- state. We obtain qualitative agreement with experiment for the line strengths. Radiative and predissociative decay rates of the Rydberg (D,3)2Sigma- states of OH and OD were computed, including spin-orbit coupling effects and the effect of spin-electronic and gyroscopic coupling. We show that the lifetime of the Rydberg 2Sigma- states for rotationally cold molecules is limited mainly by predissociation caused by spin-orbit coupling.