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Title: Discrete sudden perturbation theory for inelastic scattering. I. Quantum and semiclassical treatment

Journal Article · · J. Chem. Phys.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.449676· OSTI ID:6336803

A double perturbation theory is constructed to treat rotationally and vibrationally inelastic scattering. It uses both the elastic scattering from the spherically averaged potential and the infinite-order sudden (IOS) approximation as the unperturbed solutions. First, a standard perturbation expansion is done to express the radial wave functions in terms of the elastic wave functions. The resulting coupled equations are transformed to the discrete-variable representation where the IOS equations are diagonal. Then, the IOS solutions are removed from the equations which are solved by an exponential perturbation approximation. The results for Ar+N/sub 2/ are very much more accurate than the IOS and somewhat more accurate than a straight first-order exponential perturbation theory. The theory is then converted into a semiclassical, time-dependent form by using the WKB approximation. The result is an integral of the potential times a slowly oscillating factor over the classical trajectory. A method of interpolating the result is given so that the calculation is done at the average velocity for a given transition. With this procedure, the semiclassical version of the theory is more accurate than the quantum version and very much faster. Calculations on Ar+N/sub 2/ show the theory to be much more accurate than the infinite-order sudden (IOS) approximation and the exponential time-dependent perturbation theory.

Research Organization:
Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511
OSTI ID:
6336803
Journal Information:
J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 83:11
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English