Ab initio computation of vibrational relaxation rate coefficients for the collisions of CO2 with helium and neon atoms

Ab initio calculations of rate coefficients are reported for the vibrational relaxation of CO₂ molecules in collision with helium and neon atoms. Self consistent-field computations have been performed to parameterise simple three-dimensional potential energy functions which have been used in vibrational close-coupling, rotational infinite-order-sudden calculations of rate coefficients. Excellent agreement is obtained between the calculated and experimental rate coefficients for the deactivation of the (01₁0) vibrational level in the He + CO₂ system at temperatures of 300 K and above. The ab initio predictions of rate coefficients for relaxation of CO₂ vibrational levels such as (10⁰0) and (02⁰0) should be useful in computer simulations of CO₂ lasers.     

Bond dissociation energy and Lewis acidity of the xenon fluoride cation

This study focuses upon the Lewis acid reactivity of XeF(+) with various bases in the gas phase and the determination of the bond dissociation energy of XeF(+). The bond dissociation energy of XeF(+) has been measured by using energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation with neon, argon, and xenon target gases. Experiments with neon target yield a 298 K bond dissociation enthalpy of 2.81 +/- 0.09 eV, and those with argon target give a similar value at 2.83 +/- 0.12 eV. When using a xenon target, a significantly lower value of 1.95 +/- 0.16 eV was observed, which corresponds closely with previous measurements and theoretical predictions. It is proposed that the lighter target gases give inefficient excitation of the XeF(+) vibration leading to dissociation at energies higher than the BDE. Novel xenon-base adducts have been prepared in a flowing afterglow mass spectrometer by termolecular addition to XeF(+) and by reaction of base with XeF(+)(H(2)O). New species have been characterized qualitatively by CID, and it is found that the products formed reflect the relative ionization energies of the fragments. Among the new xenon-containing species that have been prepared are the first examples of xenon carbonyls.     

Fragmentation of ionized doped helium nanodroplets: theoretical evidence for a dopant ejection mechanism

We report a theoretical study of the effect induced by a helium nanodroplet environment on the fragmentation dynamics of a dopant. The dopant is an ionized neon cluster Ne(n) (+) (n=4-6) surrounded by a helium nanodroplet composed of 100 atoms. A newly designed mixed quantum/classical approach is used to take into account both the large helium cluster zero-point energy due to the light mass of the helium atoms and all the nonadiabatic couplings between the Ne(n) (+) potential-energy surfaces. The results reveal that the intermediate ionic dopant can be ejected from the droplet, possibly with some helium atoms still attached, thereby reducing the cooling power of the droplet. Energy relaxation by helium atom evaporation and dissociation, the other mechanism which has been used in most interpretations of doped helium cluster dynamics, also exhibits new features. The kinetic energy distribution of the neutral monomer fragments can be fitted to the sum of two Boltzmann distributions, one with a low kinetic energy and the other with a higher kinetic energy. This indicates that cooling by helium atom evaporation is more efficient than was believed so far, as suggested by recent experiments. The results also reveal the predominance of Ne(2) (+) and He(q)Ne(2) (+) fragments and the absence of bare Ne(+) fragments, in agreement with available experimental data (obtained for larger helium nanodroplets). Moreover, the abundance in fragments with a trimeric neon core is found to increase with the increase in dopant size. Most of the fragmentation is achieved within 10 ps and the only subsequent dynamical process is the relaxation of hot intermediate He(q)Ne(2) (+) species to Ne(2) (+) by helium atom evaporation. The dependence of the ionic fragment distribution on the parent ion electronic state reached by ionization is also investigated. It reveals that He(q)Ne(+) fragments are produced only from the highest electronic state, whereas He(q)Ne(2) (+) fragments originate from all the electronic states. Surprisingly, the highest electronic states also lead to fragments that still contain the original ionic dopant species. A mechanism is conjectured to explain this fragmentation inhibition.     

Vibrational relaxation of ethylene oxide and ethylene oxide-rare-gas mixtures

The collision-induced vibrational energy relaxation of ethylene oxide (C₂H₄O) was studied by means of laser-induced fluorescence. The time-dependent population of the vibrational modes v₃ and v₅/v₁₂ was measured after excitation of CH-stretching vibrations near 3000 cm^?1. Rate constants for the vibrational energy transfer by collisions with C₂H₄O and the rare gases are deduced, and a simplified model for the vibrational relaxation of C₂H₄O is discussed.     

Spin–orbit and dispersion energy effects in XeF

Spin–orbit and dispersion energy contributions to the energy curves of XeF are examined. A rapid variation in the spin–orbit coupling with internuclear separation is found for both the ground and excited states. This result can explain the experimentally observed ordering of the ionic excited states when the spin–orbit perturbation couples ²σ and ²π energy curves obtained by both all-electron and effective core potential (ECP ) calculations at the first-order configuration interaction (FOCI ) level of accuracy. Damped dispersion energy contributions to the ground-state energy curve are shown to be comparable to the charge transfer contribution. The energy curve for XeF is in reasonable agreement with experimental results and a calculation of the analogous XeCl curve confirms the qualitative correctness of the calculation. The energy curves and transition moments were then applied to two problems related to the efficiency of the XeF laser. Photodissociation of the X state provides a means of removing a bottlenecked vibrational level but a calculation of the radiative transition probability between the X and A states finds the cross section is too small to yield rates competitive with collisional deactivation. The bottlenecked state may also be removed by electron dissociative attachment but the calculated energy curves for the X states of XeF and XeF^? do not cross at a low energy indicating a small cross section.     

The vibrational relaxation of ozone by helium atoms

An ab initio, quantum-mechanical method is used to compute rate coefficients for the vibrational relaxation of ozone in three-dimensional collisions with helium atoms. Good agreement is obtained between the calculated and experimental rate coefficients for the process He + O₃(010) ? He + O₃(000).     

Raman study of molecular dynamics of inorganic fluoroxidizers in nonaqueous solutions: part 4. Xenon tetrafluoride and xenon hexafluoride in hydrogen fluoride

Raman spectra of XeF4 and XeF6 in the nonaqueous HF solutions at various concentrations and vibrational spectra of the [XeF5]+ cation in the solid state and in the HF solutions over a wide range of vibrational frequencies have been studied. The assignments of the observed vibrational bands of the [XeF5]+ cation and XeF6-HF system has been made. A number of associates or solvates being formed as a result of the donor-acceptor interaction between Lewis base and Lewis acid has been shown to exist alongside with ionized monomeric and polymeric modifications of XeF6 in the HF solution such as ([XeF5]+ F-)n (n = 1, 2, 4). The contours of the nu1(A1g) band of XeF4 with frequency 552 cm(-1) and bands of stretching modes of ([XeF5]+ F-)n (n = 1, 2, 4) with frequency in the range of 600-670 cm(-1) are analysed. The correlation functions of the vibrational and rotational relaxation as well as the corresponding characteristic time for these processes have been calculated. A conclusion has been driven at that it is vibrational dephasing that makes the major contribution to the formation of ([XeF5]+ F)4 and ([XeF5]+ F-)2 band contours, while in the case of [XeF5]+ F- and XeF4 the contributions of vibrational dephasing and rotational relaxation nearly coincide.     

Electron energy distribution functions and dissociation kinetics of HCl in non-equilibrium plasmas

Electron energy distribution functions (edf) have been calculated by numerically solving the Boltzmann equation coupled to a system of vibrational master equations which simulates both the vibrational relaxation due to e—V (electron—vibration), V—V (vibration—vibration) and V—T (vibration—translation) energy exchanges and the dissociation process. The calculated edf strongly depend on the vibrational nonequilibrium present in the gas phase, even though the atoms coming from the dissociation process tend to destroy the vibrational energy content of the molecules. Vibrationally excited molecules determine a joint vibro—electronic mechanism in the dissociation of HCl. This mechanism is the more efficient the smaller the gas temperature and pressure. Finally the contribution of a purely vibrational mechanism in the dissociation of HCl is presented and discussed.     

Rotational and vibrational relaxation of methane excited to 2nu3 in CH4/H2 and CH4/He mixtures at 296 and 193 K from double-resonance measurements

A series of time-resolved IR-IR double-resonance experiments have been conducted where methane molecules are excited into a selected rovibrational level of the 2nu3(F2) vibrational substate of the tetradecad and where the time evolution of the population of the various energy levels is probed by a tunable continuous wave laser. The rotational relaxation and vibrational energy transfer processes occurring in methane upon inelastic CH4-H2 and CH4-He collisions have been investigated by this technique at room temperature and at 193 K. By probing transitions in which either the lower or the upper level is the laser-excited level, rotational depopulation rates in the 2nu3(F2) substate were measured. The rate constants for CH4-H2 collisions were found to be 17.7 +/- 2.0 and 18.9 +/- 2.0 micros(-1) Torr(-1) at 296 and 193 K, respectively, and for CH(4)-He collisions they are 12.1 +/- 1.5 and 16.0 +/- 2.0 micros(-1) Torr(-1) at the same temperatures. The vibrational relaxation was investigated by probing other stretching transitions such as 2nu3(F2) - nu3, nu3 + 2nu4 - 2nu4, and nu3 + nu4 - nu4. A kinetic model, taking into account the main collisional processes connecting energy levels up to 6000 cm(-1), that has been developed to describe the various relaxation pathways allowed us to calculate the temporal evolution of populations in these levels and to simulate double-resonance signals. The different rate coefficients of the vibrational relaxation processes involved in these mixtures were determined by fitting simulated signals to the observed signals corresponding to assigned transitions. For vibration to translation energy transfer processes, hydrogen is a much more efficient collision partner than helium, nitrogen, or methane itself at 193 K as well as at room temperature.     

Vibrational relaxation of HF(v = 1) by F atoms

The rate of vibrational relaxation of HF(v = 1) by F atoms has been calculated using quasi-classical trajectory techniques. An attempt has been made to account for the effects of multiple potential energy surfaces on the vibrational relaxation efficiency within the electronically adiabatic assumption. Toward this end two potential energy surfaces were investigated. The LEPS equation was used to construct a reactive surface for F + HF′ → FH + F′ having a reaction barrier height of 5.4 kcal/mole, which is in agreement with a bond energy-bond order prediction. A nonreactive interaction potential consisting of atom-atom Morse functions was calibrated to Noble and Kortzeborn's [J. Chem. Phys. 52, 5375 (1970)] LCAO-MO-SCF results for FHF(²II). The results are in qualitative agreement with experiment. However, the nonreactive surface appears to be too repulsive, and consequently, the contribution of collisions on the nonreactive surface to the total vibrational relaxation rate coefficient are overestimated.     

Semi-classical study of the molecular dissociation: H2 + He

Accurate vibrational wave functions and a state-dependent model interaction potential were used in the study, within the framework of a semi-classical theory, of the vibrational excitation and dissociation of the hydrogen molecule in collinear collisions with the helium atom. A molecule initially in the excited state is shown to be very efficient in energy transfer and twice more likely to be further excited than to be de-excited. The change in the population distribution among the vibrational states at the first few collisions was analyzed. It is shown that the population of the first vibrational excited state ψ₁ reaches its maximum after the very first collision and that of ψ₂ after the second. It is also found that at a sufficiently high collision energy, ψ₅ is the most efficient state in dissociation at the second collision while ψ₆ contributes most at the third collision.     

A quasiclassical trajectory study of the collisional dissociation of H2 by H atoms

The collision induced dissociation of H₂ by H atoms was studied by quasiclassical trajectories using the Liu-Siegbahn-Truhlar-Horowitz potential energy surface. Dissociation cross sections were obtained for five highly internally excited initial states of H₂ for translational energies up to 100 kcal mol^?1. Rate constants for dissociation out of these states were calculated for temperatures of 1000 to 10,000 K. Initial internal energy strongly enhances the probability of collisional dissociation, vibrational energy being more effective than rotational. The results are compared to those from a similar study of the H₂?He system, and are discussed in relation tothe respective potential energy surfaces. The implications for the kineticsof thermal dissociation are also considered.     

Rates of vibrational and dissociative excitation of diatomic molecules in atom-molecule collisions in a hot gas

Vibrational relaxation and dissociation in O₂-Ar at low O₂ contents are considered. The populations of the vibrational levels are found as functions of time. The vibrational relaxation time and the dissociation rate constant at 3000 to 20 000 K are calculated. The relaxation equation for the vibrational energy per unit volume in the presence of dissociation is considered.     

Full dimension Rb2He ground triplet potential energy surface and quantum scattering calculations

We have developed a three-dimensional potential energy surface for the lowest triplet state of the Rb(2)He complex. A global analytic fit is provided as in the supplementary material [see supplementary material at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4709433 for the corresponding Fortran code]. This surface is used to perform quantum scattering calculations of (4)He and (3)He colliding with (87)Rb(2) in the partial wave J = 0 at low and ultralow energies. For the heavier helium isotope, the computed vibrational relaxation probabilities show a broad and strong shape resonance for a collisional energy of 0.15 K and a narrow Feshbach resonance at about 17 K for all initial Rb(2) vibrational states studied. The broad resonance corresponds to an efficient relaxation mechanism that does not occur when (3)He is the colliding partner. The Feshbach resonance observed at higher collisional energy is robust with respect to the isotopic substitution. However, its effect on the vibrational relaxation mechanism is faint for both isotopes.     

Quantum mechanical investigation of rovibrational relaxation of H2 and D2 by collisions with Ar atoms

We report quantum mechanical calculations of cross sections and rate coefficients for rovibrational relaxation of H2 and D2 by collisions with Ar atoms over a wide range of temperatures including the ultracold limit. Limiting values of the rate coefficients for vibrational and rotational quenching at zero temperature were computed and sensitivity of the results to the choice of the interaction potential is investigated. We also demonstrate dramatic change in the behavior of the rate coefficients at low temperatures when the van der Waals potential supports a quasibound level very close to the dissociation threshold.     

Analytical models for state-specific diatomic dissociation rate coefficients

Two analytical models are presented to approximate the temperature dependent, rotationally-averaged vibrational-state-specific dissociation rate coefficient for collisions between diatomic molecules and rare gas atoms at combustion temperatures. The new models are derived by making simplifying approximations to a more detailed theoretical model recently reported in the literature. For accuracy, the first model requires, for a given collision pair, knowledge of the maximum vibrational quantum number, a single vibrational-rotational energy and an interaction parameter for dissociation, all of which are tabulated in this article for collisions of Ar with p-H₂, O₂, N₂, and CO. This is in contrast to the recently reported theoretical model, which requires knowledge of all vibrational-rotational energies below the dissociation threshold, in addition to the interaction parameter for dissociation. The second model is simpler and more general than the first, but less accurate. To completely specify this model, knowledge of only the hard sphere cross section, and the characteristic temperatures for vibration and dissociation is required. The two analytical models are shown to agree well with the published theoretical values, with the accuracy of each model increasing with increasing temperature. The present models provide an accurate and efficient means of computing thousands or millions of rate coefficients for use in numerical simulations of combustion processes that couple kinetic equations with the governing equations of fluid dynamics. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Vibrational relaxation of diatomic molecules in condensed monatomic media

A model based on binary-like collisions is presented to describe the vibrational relaxation of diatomic molecules in a monatomic medium. For N₂Ar and COAr, it is shown that the oscillatory motion of host atoms undergoing multiquantrum processes is most important in removing vibrational energy. The translational motion of molecules confined to the cell space also contributes to the energy relaxation by removing the energy mismatch.     

A classical trajectory study of the effect of reaction barrier height on the vibrational energy transfer efficiency in the Cl + HCl system

The effects of reaction barrier height and initial rotational excitation of the reactants on the overall rate of H atom exchange between atomic chlorine and HCl (v = 0) and on the 0 → 1 vibrational excitation of HCl via reactive and nonreactive collisions have been investigated using quasiclassical trajectory techniques. Two empirical LEPS potential energy surfaces were employed in the calculations having reaction barrier heights of 9.84 and 7.05 kcal mol^?1. Trajectory studies of planar collisions were carried out on each surface over a range of relative translational energies with the ground-state HCI collision partner given initial rotational excitation corresponding J = 0, 3, and 7. Initial molecular rotation was found to be relatively inefficient in promoting the H atom exchange; the computed rate coefficient for H atom exchange between Cl + HCl (v = 0, J = 7) was only 4 times larger than that for CI + HCI (v = 0, J = 0). The vibrational excitation rate coefficient exhibited a stronger dependence on initial molecular rotational excitation. The observed increase in the vibrational excitation rate coefficient with increasing initial molecular rotational excitation was due primarily to nonreactive intermolecular R → V energy transfer. The vibrational excitation rate coefficients increase with decreasing reaction barrier height.     

Quantum chemical study of dissociation of H2 on C3H3V organometallic compound

We have studied H₂ adsorption on C₃H₃V organometallic compound using density functional method at B3LYP/LanL2Dz level of theory. It was found that H₂ molecule dissociates and adsorbed in dihydride form on this organometallic compound. Potential energy surface for H₂ dissociation process was obtained and different properties such as HOMO–LUMO gap, dipole moment, interaction energies between different molecules and atoms, vibrational frequencies, and atomic charges during the dissociation process were studied. It was found that the C₃H₃V(H₂) structure is most stable at H? V? H angle of 66.3°. Many‐body analysis was also carried out to determine the two‐body energies, three‐body energies, relaxation energy, and binding energy of the structures for each point on the potential surface. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010