Comparison of classical and quantal calculations of helium three-body recombination

Journal Article · Tue Jan 28 04:00:00 EST 2014 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4861851· OSTI ID:22255237

Pérez-Ríos, Jesús; Greene, Chris H. ^[1]; Ragole, Steve ^[2]; Wang, Jia ^[3]

---

1. Physics Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 (United States)
2. Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)
3. Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 (United States)

A general method to study classical scattering in n-dimension is developed. Through classical trajectory calculations, the three-body recombination is computed as a function of the collision energy for helium atoms, as an example. Quantum calculations are also performed for the J{sup Π} = 0{sup +} symmetry of the three-body recombination rate in order to compare with the classical results, yielding good agreement for E ≳ 1 K. The classical threshold law is derived and numerically confirmed for the Newtonian three-body recombination rate. Finally, a relationship is found between the quantum and classical three-body hard hypersphere elastic cross sections which is analogous to the well-known shadow scattering in two-body collisions.

• OSTI ID: 22255237
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 140; ISSN JCPSA6; ISSN 0021-9606
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
COLLISIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
HELIUM
RECOMBINATION
SCATTERING
THREE-BODY PROBLEM