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Title: Electronic excitation of formaldehyde by low-energy electrons: A theoretical study using the complex Kohn variational method

Journal Article · · Physical Review, A (General Physics); (USA)
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, California 94550 (USA)
  2. Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (USA)

We report results of a fully {ital ab} {ital initio} treatment of electronic excitation in a polyatomic molecule by electron impact. We have calculated total and differential cross sections for exciting the two lowest ({ital n}{r arrow}{pi}{sup *}){sup 1,3}A{sub 2} excited states of H{sub 2}CO for collision energies between 5 and 20 eV. The calculations were carried out in a three-state close-coupling approximation using the complex Kohn variational method. The absence of any backward peaking in the cross sections calculated for the {sup 3}A{sub 2} state is reminiscent of a rigorous selection rule for {Sigma}{sup +}-{Sigma}{sup {minus}} transitions in linear molecules. However, with no experimental studies available for comparison, the present results must be regarded as predictive.

DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
7134818
Journal Information:
Physical Review, A (General Physics); (USA), Vol. 41:5; ISSN 0556-2791
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English