Fully quantum state-resolved inelastic scattering between He and NO(XΠ2)

Quantum mechanical close-coupling calculations have been used to obtain fully quantum state-resolved differential cross sections and opacity functions for the rotationally inelastic collisions of NO(X (2)Pi) with He at collision energies of 63 and 147 meV using the most recent ab initio potential energy surfaces of Kłos et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 112, 2195 (2000)]. Double peaks observed in the Lambda-doublet resolved differential cross sections are shown to be related to the presence of analogous peaks in the corresponding opacity functions. These structures can be linked directly to a specific expansion term in the potential, and reflect the fact that NO is not quite homonuclear.

Orbiting resonances in the F + HD (v = 0, 1) reaction at very low collision energies. A quantum dynamical study

Time-independent, fully converged, quantum dynamical calculations have been performed for the F + HD (v = 0, j = 0) and F + HD (v = 1, j = 0) reactions on an accurate potential energy surface down to collision energies of 0.01 meV. The two isotopic exit channels, HF + D and DF + H, have been investigated. The calculations reproduce satisfactorily the Feshbach resonance structures for collision energies between 10 and 40 meV, previously reported in the literature for the HF + D channel. Contrary to the results of a former literature work, vibrational excitation of HD is found to enhance reactivity in all cases down to the lowest collision energy investigated. Shape-type orbiting resonances are found for collision energies lower than 2 meV. The resonances appear as peaks in the reaction cross sections that are associated to specific values of the total angular momentum, J. In contrast with the Feshbach resonances at higher energies, the orbiting resonance structure, which is caused by the van der Waals well of the entrance channel, is identical for the HF + D and DF + H exit channels. The orbiting resonance peaks for F + HD (v = 0) are very small, but those for F + HD (v = 1) could be observed, in principle, with a combination of Raman pumping and merged beams methods.

Low-Temperature Rotational Relaxation of CO in Self-Collisions and in Collisions with Ne and He

The low-temperature rotational relaxation of CO in self-collisions and in collisions with the rare-gas atoms Ne and He has been investigated in supersonic expansions with a combination of resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectroscopy and time-of-flight techniques. For the REMPI detection of CO, a novel 2 + 1' scheme has been employed through the A(1)Pi state of CO. From the measured data, average cross sections for rotational relaxation have been derived as a function of temperature in the range 5-100 K. For CO-Ne and CO-He, the relaxation cross sections grow, respectively, from values of approximately 20 and 7 A(2) at 100 K to values of approximately 65-70 and approximately 20 A(2) in the 5-20 K temperature range. The cross section for the relaxation of CO-CO grows from a value close to 40 A(2) at 100 K to a maximum of 60 A(2) at 20 K and then decreases again to 40 A(2) at 5 K. These results are qualitatively similar to those obtained previously with the same technique for N(2)-N(2), N(2)-Ne, and N(2)-He collisions, although in the low-temperature range (T < 20 K) the CO relaxation cross sections are significantly larger than those for N(2). Some discrepancies have been found between the present relaxation cross sections for CO-CO and CO-He and the values derived from electron-induced fluorescence experiments.

The F + HD(v = 0, 1; j = 0, 1) reactions: stereodynamical properties of orbiting resonances

The excitation functions (reaction cross-section as a function of collision energy) of the F + HD(v = 0, 1; j = 0, 1) benchmark system have been calculated in the 0.01-6 meV collision energy interval using a time-independent hyperspherical quantum dynamics methodology. Special attention has been paid to orbiting resonances, which bring about detailed information on the three-atom interaction during the reactive encounter. The location of the resonances depends on the rovibrational state of the reactants HD(v,j), but is the same for the two product channels HF + D and DF + H, as expected for these resonances that are linked to the van der Waals well at the entrance. The resonance intensities depend both on the entrance and on the exit channels. The peak intensities for the HF + D channel are systematically larger than those for DF + H. Vibrational excitation leads to an increase of the peak intensity by more than an order of magnitude, but rotational excitation has a less drastic effect. It deceases the resonance intensity of the F + HD(v = 1) reaction, but increases somewhat that of F + HD(v = 0). Polarization of the rotational angular momentum with respect to the initial velocity reveals intrinsic directional preferences in the F + HD(v = 0, 1; j = 1) reactions that are manifested in the resonance patterns. The helicities (Ω = 0, Ω = ±1) possible for j = 1 contribute to the resonances, but that from Ω± 1 is, in general, dominant and in some cases exclusive. It corresponds to a preferential alignment of the HD internuclear axis perpendicular to the initial direction of approach and, thus, to side-on collisions. This work also shows that external preparation of the reactants, following the intrinsic preferences, would allow the enhancement or reduction of specific resonance features, and would be of great help for their eventual experimental detection.

Influence of vibration in the reactive scattering of D + MuH: the effect of dynamical bonding

The dynamics of the D + MuH(v = 1) reaction has been investigated using time-independent quantum mechanical calculations. The total reaction cross sections and rate coefficients have been calculated for the two exit channels of the reaction leading, respectively, to DMu + H and DH + Mu. Over the 100-1000 K temperature range investigated the rate coefficients for the DMu + H channel are of the order of 10(-10) cm(3) s(-1) and those for the DH + Mu channel vary between 1 × 10(-12) and 8 × 10(-11) cm(3) s(-1). These results point to a virtually barrierless reaction for the DMu + H channel and to the presence of a comparatively small barrier for the DH + Mu channel and are consistent with the profiles of their respective collinear vibrationally adiabatic potentials (VAPs). The effective barrier in the VAP of the DH + Mu channel is located in the reactant valley and, consequently, translation is found to be more efficient than vibration for the promotion of the reaction over a large energy interval in the post threshold region. Below this barrier, the DH + Mu channel can be accessible through an indirect mechanism implying crossing from the DMu + H pathway. The most salient feature found in the present study is revealed in the total reaction cross section for the DMu + H channel, which shows a sharp resonance caused by the presence of a deep well in the vibrationally adiabatic potential. This well has a dynamical origin, reminiscent of that found recently in the vibrationally bonded BrMuBr complex [Fleming, et al., Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2014, 53, 1], and is due to the stabilizing effect of the light Mu atom oscillating between the heavier H and D isotopes and to the bond softening associated with vibrational excitation of MuH.

The F + HD (v = 0, 1; j = 1) reaction: angular momentum correlations in the low (<1 meV) collision energy regime

A detailed analysis of the low collision energy (0.03-10 meV) integral reaction cross-section has been carried out for the F + HD (v = 0, 1; j = 1)→ HF(DF) + D(H) reaction using accurate, fully converged time-independent hyperspherical quantum dynamics. Particular attention has been paid to the shape (orbiting) resonances and their assignment to the orbital (L) and total (J) angular momenta as well as to the product's state resolved cross-sections at the energies of the resonances. As in previous works, it has been found that the energy position of the resonances depends on the initial state, but is essentially the same for the two exit channels and the product's rovibrational states. The analysis in terms of the orbital and total angular momenta showed that each resonance is characterised by a given value of L but is contributed by several J. The main resonances are due to L = 3 and L = 5 for both F + HD (v = 0, j = 1) and F + HD (v = 1, j = 1) reactions, although they appear at different collision energies. The product's vibrationally resolved excitation functions are found to follow the same pattern as the integral cross-section summed over all final states. A more detailed analysis has been made for the rotationally resolved integral cross-sections associated with L = 3, which gives rise to the main resonance for the two reactions and both product channels, for different final j' states, showing similar behaviour for all j' states except for j' = 0 due to parity conservation. The joint analysis of the final rotational and orbital angular momenta shows that L' and j' tend to have an antiparallel orientation.