Der Regenbogeneffekt und Interferenzerscheinungen bei molekularen Stößen

Crossed beam measurements of differential elastic scattering cross sections for collisions of alkali atoms with mercury and xenon atoms as well as with different molecules are presented. Special attention is given to the rainbow effect including supernumary rainbows and to interference effects connected with rainbow scattering. The observation of well resolved primary and supernumary rainbows together with interference patterns make the determination of a three parameter potential model possible. Partial wave numerical calculations of differential cross sections are used to evaluate potential parameters and to discuss the limits of the semiclassical rainbow theory. Elastic scattering between reactive collision partners is investigated too and interpreted in terms of a simple optical model.