Quantum-state resolved reaction dynamics at the gas-liquid interface: direct absorption detection of HF(v,J) product from F(2P)+squalane

Exothermic reactive scattering of F atoms at the gas-liquid interface of a liquid hydrocarbon (squalane) surface has been studied under single collision conditions by shot noise limited high-resolution infrared absorption on the nascent HF(v,J) product. The nascent HF(v,J) vibrational distributions are inverted, indicating insufficient time for complete vibrational energy transfer into the surface liquid. The HF(v=2,J) rotational distributions are well fit with a two temperature Boltzmann analysis, with a near room temperature component (T(TD) approximately equal to 290 K) and a second much hotter scattering component (T(HDS) approximately equal to 1040 K). These data provide quantum state level support for microscopic branching in the atom abstraction dynamics corresponding to escape of nascent HF from the liquid surface on time scales both slow and fast with respect to rotational relaxation.     

Quantum-state-resolved CO2 scattering dynamics at the gas-liquid interface: dependence on incident angle

Energy transfer dynamics at the gas-liquid interface have been probed with a supersonic molecular beam of CO2 and a clean perfluorinated-liquid surface in vacuum. High-resolution infrared spectroscopy measures both the rovibrational state populations and the translational distributions for the scattered CO2 flux. The present study investigates collision dynamics as a function of incident angle (thetainc = 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, and 60 degrees), where column-integrated quantum state populations are detected along the specular-scattering direction (i.e., thetascat approximately thetainc). Internal state rovibrational and Doppler translational distributions in the scattered CO2 yield clear evidence for nonstatistical behavior, providing quantum-state-resolved support for microscopic branching of the gas-liquid collision dynamics into multiple channels. Specifically, the data are remarkably well described by a two-temperature model, which can be associated with both a trapping desorption (TD) component emerging at the surface temperature (Trot approximately TS) and an impulsive scattering (IS) component appearing at hyperthermal energies (Trot > TS). The branching ratio between the TD and IS channels is found to depend strongly on thetainc, with the IS component growing dramatically with increasingly steeper angle of incidence.     

Semiclassical treatment of ro-vibrational relaxation in the large j limit. Application to CO + 4He collisions

A semiclassical model for the vibrational relaxation of a diatomic molecule in collision with an atom is presented in the coupled-state framework in the large j limit. Our model realizes an exact quantum resolution of the rotational dynamics, the vibrational dynamics being integrated within a first-order perturbational perturbed-stationary-state approach. The application to CO + ⁴He confirms an appreciable role of the rotational energy transfers which produce an increase of the rate constant by a factor of ≈ 2.5.     

高里德堡态氢原子与氦原子散射的高分辨研究

A high resolution study of the high-n Rydberg H atom scattering with helium was carried out using the H atom Rydberg tagging time-of-flight technique. Differential cross sections were measured for scattering process of H(n)+He→H(n′)+He at the collision energy of 0.526 eV. Experimental result indicates that the scattered H(n′) product is mainly forward distributed, with signals observed in the wide range of angles at the sideway and forward scattering directions. At the sideway and forward directions, a lot of oscillatory structures in the angular distributions are present. Detailed analysis also shows that the principle quantum number, n, is not changed much for the Rydberg H atom at the forward scattering direction. This work provides a good test ground to investigate theoretically the exact collision dynamics between the high-n Rydberg H atom and the helium atom.     

Collision dynamics of non-integrable systems: Validity of classical scaling

The classical collision dynamics of a model atom—molecule non-integrable collision system is studied, and the energy transfer (ET) moment is examined as a function of the initial semiclassical level of the molecule. A recently derived classical scaling theory is shown to be valid in the case when the molecular motion remains regular throughout the collision, and the ET variation is then characterized by a polynomial dependence on the initial (semiclassical) quantum numbers. When chaotic motions participate, the ET no longer follows the scaling law. The utility of the scaling theory in providing the proper interpolation form for extending classical trajectory data in non-integrable collision systems is discussed.     

Quantum dynamics of electron capture process during H–He<Superscript>2+</Superscript> collision

Quantum dynamics of electron transfer (capture) phenomenon during the H–He²⁺ collision is investigated by solving two-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation numerically using a third-order split operator technique. Results of this study, represented as the snapshots of the electron wavepacket time evolution, show significantly different dynamics for the electron of different initial orbitals (1s, 2s, 2p _x and 2p _y ) of the incoming hydrogen atom. This electron transfer dynamics is also detailed by calculating expansion coefficients of the projection of the evolving wavepacket onto the stationary eigenfunctions of the H and He⁺ species to investigate evolution of the electron density around each nucleus during the collision. The instantaneous and overall electron densities captured by the He²⁺ nucleus from the H atom are calculated and analyzed. It is also shown evidently and concluded that due to its quantum nature, electron crawls from one nucleus to the other in an electron transfer process during an atom–ion collision.     

Probing Feshbach resonances in F+H2(j=1)-->HF+H: dynamical effect of single quantum H2-rotation

Full quantum state resolved scattering of the F atom reaction with H(2)(j=0) and H(2)(j=1) was investigated at the collision energies of 0.19 and 0.56 kcalmol. Dramatic difference between the dynamics for the F+H(2)(j=0,1) reactions at both collision energies have been observed. Forward scattering HF(v(')=2) products have been observed unambiguously for the F+H(2)(j=1) reaction at low collision energies, which was attributed to the Feshbach resonances. This study provides a unique case of reaction resonances involving a rotationally excited reagent.     

Theoretical study of intermolecular potential energy surface for HCl dimer: Example of nonspherical atom–atom exchange repulsion interaction

The intermolecular part of the potential energy surface for the HCl dimer has been studied with ab initio quantum chemical methods. An intermolecular potential, based on quantum chemical calculations has been constructed. The interaction energy consists of electrostatic, induction, and dispersion terms calculated from the monomer properties of the interacting molecules and an exchange repulsion term. The latter term was parameterized from the results of the quantum chemical calculations and estimates of the electrostatic and induction energies. It was found necessary to use nonspherical atom–atom exchange repulsion interaction parameters, and the parameters describing the deviation from spherical behavior could be obtained from the expectation values of r² for the electrons assigned to an atom. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 1816–1825, 1998     

Geminate recombination processes induced by rare gas collisions with predissociating NaI molecules prepared by femtosecond excitation

NaI molecules predissociate after excitation with ultrashort pulses at a peak wavelength of 320 nm. In rare gas environments at higher pressures the process of geminate recombination is likely to occur. We studied the dynamics of these processes under various pressure conditions and for different collision partners. The calculations were performed within a three-dimensional statistical model which simulates the NaI wave-packet dynamics with classical trajectories and the collisions via an instantaneous hard-sphere scattering. Received: 4 May 1998 / Accepted: 27 July 1998 / Published online: 28 September 1998     

Rotationally resolved reactive scattering: imaging detailed Cl+C2H6 reaction dynamics

The hydrogen atom abstraction reaction of Cl (2P3/2) with ethane has been studied using the crossed molecular beam technique with dc slice imaging at collision energies from 3.2 to 10.4 kcal/mol. The products HCl (v,J) (v = 0, J = 0-5) were state-selectively detected using 2+1 resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization. The images were used to obtain the center-of-mass frame product angular distributions and translational energy release distributions. Two general features were found in all probed HCl quantum states at 6.7 kcal/mol collision energy, and these features have distinct translational energy release and angular distributions, as described for HCl (v = 0, J = 2) in a recent preliminary report [Li et al., J. Chem. Phys. 124, 011102 (2006)]. The results for HCl (v = 0, J = 2) at four collision energies were also compared to investigate the energy-dependent dynamics. We discuss the reaction in terms of a variety of models of polyatomic reaction dynamics. The dynamics of this well studied system are more complicated than can be accounted for by a single mechanism, and the results call for further theoretical and experimental investigations.     

Current‐density functional study of the HeH+ molecular ion under a strong ultrashort magnetic field

The HeH⁺ molecular ion under an ultrashort magnetic field on the order of 10⁹ G is investigated through quantum fluid dynamics and a current‐density functional theory (CDFT) based approach, employing a vector exchange–correlation (XC) potential which depends on the electronic charge‐density as well as on the current‐density. The behavior of the exchange and correlation energies of the HeH⁺ ion is analyzed and compared with those obtained using an approach based on the time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) under similar computational constraints but employing a scalar XC potential dependent only on the electronic charge‐density. The CDFT‐based approach yields exchange and correlation energies as well as TD electronic charge‐densities drastically different from those obtained using the TD‐DFT‐based approach particularly, at typical TD magnetic field strengths. This is attributed to the nonadiabatic effects induced by the vector XC potential of the CDFT in the oscillating charge‐density of the HeH⁺ ion, which are further explained in the terminology of quantum fluid dynamics. The vector XC potential of the CDFT‐based approach is observed to augment the magnetic interactions in the H₂ molecule and in the He ion, whereas it opposes the magnetic interactions in the HeH⁺ ion particularly, at the intermediate magnetic field strengths. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Dynamics of electronic states and spin-flip for photodissociation of dihalogens in matrices: experiment and semiclassical surface-hopping and quantum model simulations for F2 and ClF in solid Ar

Three approaches are combined to study the electronic states' dynamics in the photodissociation of F(2) and ClF in solid argon. These include (a) semiclassical surface-hopping simulations of the nonadiabatic processes involved. These simulations are carried out for the F(2) molecule in a slab of 255 argon atoms with periodic boundary conditions at the ends. The full manifold of 36 electronic states relevant to the process is included. (b) The second approach involves quantum mechanical reduced-dimensionality models for the initial processes induced by a pump laser pulse, which involve wavepacket propagation for the preoriented ClF in the frozen argon lattice and incorporate the important electronic states. The focus is on the study of quantum coherence effects. (c) The final approach is femtosecond laser pump-probe experiments for ClF in Ar. The combined results for the different systems shed light on general properties of the nonadiabatic processes involved, including the singlet to triplet and intertriplet transition dynamics. The main findings are (1) that the system remains in the initially excited-state only for a very brief, subpicosecond, time period. Thereafter, most of the population is transferred by nonadiabatic transitions to other states, with different time constants depending on the systems. (2) Another finding is that the dynamics is selective with regard to the electronic quantum numbers, including the Lambda and Omega quantum numbers, and the spin of the states. (3) The semiclassical simulations show that prior to the first "collision" of the photodissociated F atom with an Ar atom, the argon atoms can be held frozen, without affecting the process. This justifies the rigid-lattice reduced-dimensionality quantum model for a brief initial time interval. (4) Finally, degeneracies between triplets and singlets are fairly localized, but intertriplet degeneracies and near degeneracies can span an extensive range. The importance of quantum effects in photochemistry of matrix-isolated molecules is discussed in light of the results.     

Quantumness of correlations and Maxwell's demon in molecular excitations created by neutron scattering

Nonclassical correlations known as entanglement, quantum discord, quantum deficit, measurement‐induced disturbance, quantum Maxwell's demon, etc., may provide novel insights into quantum‐information processing, quantum‐thermodynamics processes, open‐system dynamics, quantum molecular dynamics, and general quantum chemistry. We study a new effect of quantumness of correlations accompanying collision of two distinguishable quantum systems A and B, the latter being part of a larger (interacting) system B + D. In contrast to the common assumption of a classical environment or “demon” D, the quantum case exhibits striking new qualitative features. Here, in the context of incoherent inelastic neutron scattering from H‐atoms which create molecular excitations (vibration, rotation, translation), we report theoretical and experimental evidence of a new phenomenon: a considerably reduced effective mass of H, or equivalently, an anomalous momentum‐transfer deficit in the neutron‐H collision. These findings contradict conventional theoretical expectations even qualitatively, but find a straightforward interpretation in the new theoretical frame under consideration. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Quantum dynamics study of Li + HF reaction

We report rigorous quantum dynamics studies of the Li + HF reaction using the time-dependent wavepacket approach. The dynamics study is carried out on a recent ab initio potential energy surface, and state-selected reaction probabilities and cross sections are calculated up to 0.4 eV of collision energy. Many long-lived resonances (as long as 10 ps) at low collision energies (below 0.1 eV) are uncovered from the dynamics calculation. These long-lived resonances play a dominant role in the title reaction at low collision energies (below 0.1 eV). At higher energies, the direct reaction process becomes very important. The reaction probabilities from even rotational states exhibit a different energy dependence than those from odd rotational states. Our calculated integral cross section exhibits a broad maximum near the collision energy of 0.26 eV with small oscillations superimposed on the broad envelope which is reminiscent of the underlying resonance structures in reaction probabilities. The energy dependence of the present CS cross section is qualitatively different from the simple J-shifting approximation, in which a monotonic increase of cross section with collision energy was obtained. Received: 8 January 1997 / Accepted: 14 January 1997     

On the dynamics of the H+ +D2(v=0,j=0)-->HD+D + reaction: a comparison between theory and experiment

The H+ +D2(v=0,j=0)-->HD+D + reaction has been theoretically investigated by means of a time independent exact quantum mechanical approach, a quantum wave packet calculation within an adiabatic centrifugal sudden approximation, a statistical quantum model, and a quasiclassical trajectory calculation. Besides reaction probabilities as a function of collision energy at different values of the total angular momentum, J, special emphasis has been made at two specific collision energies, 0.1 and 0.524 eV. The occurrence of distinctive dynamical behavior at these two energies is analyzed in some detail. An extensive comparison with previous experimental measurements on the Rydberg H atom with D2 molecules has been carried out at the higher collision energy. In particular, the present theoretical results have been employed to perform simulations of the experimental kinetic energy spectra.     

Effective potential energy curves of H2 molecule evolving in a strong time‐dependent magnetic field

Evolution of hydrogen molecule, starting initially from its field‐free ground state, in a time‐dependent (TD) magnetic field of order 10¹¹ G is presented in a parallel internuclear axis and magnetic field‐axis configuration. Effective potential energy curves (EPECs), in terms of exchange and correlation energy, of the hydrogen molecule as a function of TD magnetic‐field strength, are analyzed through TD density functional computations based on a quantum fluid dynamics approach. The numerical computations are performed for internuclear separation R ranging from 0.1 to 14.0 a.u. The EPECs exhibit field‐dependent significant potential‐well minima both at large internuclear separations and at short internuclear separations with a considerable increase in the exchange and correlation energy of the hydrogen molecule. The results, when compared with the time‐independent (TI) studies involving static TI magnetic fields, reveal TD behavior of field‐dependent crossovers between different spin‐states of hydrogen molecule as indicated by the TI investigations in static magnetic fields. Besides this, present work reveals interesting dynamics in the TD total‐electronic charge‐density distribution of the hydrogen molecule. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

H atom transfer of collinear OH…O system

A quantum mechanical calculation was performed to study the hydrogen atom transfer of collinear OH…O/OD…O system, for which Delves' coordinates and R- matrix propagation method were applied in a Melius-Blint potential energy surface. The calculation result showed that the state-state H atom transfer probability comported strong oscillation phenomena and collision delay time of the title system was in the fs-ps time scale. The kinetic isotope effect was calculated in this work too.     

Time dependent quantum dynamics study of the Ne + H2+(v=0-4)-->NeH+ + H proton transfer reaction

The Ne + H2+-->NeH+ + H proton transfer reaction was studied using the time dependent real wave packet quantum dynamics method at the helicity decoupling level, considering the H2+ molecular ion in the (v=0-4, j=0) vibrorotational states and a wide collision energy interval. The calculated reaction probabilities and reaction cross sections were in a rather good agreement with reanalyzed previous exact quantum dynamics results, where a much smaller collision energy interval was considered. Also, a quite good agreement with experimental data was found. These results suggested the adequacy of the approach used here to describe this and related systems.     

He 2++ molecular ion in a strong time-dependent magnetic field: a current-density functional study

The He molecular ion exposed to a strong ultrashort time‐dependent (TD) magnetic field of the order of 10⁹ G is investigated through a quantum fluid dynamics (QFD) and current‐density functional theory (CDFT) based approach using vector exchange‐correlation (XC) potential and energy density functional that depend not only on the electronic charge‐density but also on the current density. The TD‐QFD‐CDFT computations are performed in a parallel internuclear‐axis and magnetic field‐axis configuration at the field‐free equilibrium internuclear separation R = 1.3 au with the field‐strength varying between 0 and 10¹¹ G. The TD behavior of the exchange‐ and correlation energy of the He is analyzed and compared with that obtained using a [B‐TD‐QFD‐density functional theory (DFT)] approach based on the conventional TD‐DFT under similar computational constraints but using only scalar XC potential and energy density functional dependent on the electronic charge‐density alone. The CDFT based approach yields TD exchange‐ and correlation energy and TD electronic charge‐density significantly different from that obtained using the conventional TD‐DFT based approach, particularly, at typical magnetic field strengths and during a typical time period of the TD field. This peculiar behavior of the CDFT‐based approach is traced to the TD current‐density dependent vector XC potential, which can induce nonadiabatic effects causing retardation of the oscillating electronic charge density. Such dissipative electron dynamics of the He molecular ion is elucidated by treating electronic charge density as an electron‐“fluid” in the terminology of QFD. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011