Interference effects in rotational state distributions: Propensity and inverse propensity

Journal Article · Fri Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1977 · J. Chem. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.434890· OSTI ID:7220716

McCurdy, C W; Miller, W H

Semiclassical scattering theory has been used to investigate interference effects in rotational state distributions for inelastic atom--diatom collisions. The ..delta..j=even selection rule for homonuclear molecules is seen semiclassically to be an interference effect, and when this symmetry is weakly broken--i.e., an ''almost homonuclear'' molecule, one for which the odd anisotropy is much smaller than the even anisotropy--the interference persists in the form of a propensity rule, sigma (odd ..delta..j) <sigma (even ..delta..j). It is suggested that rotationally state-selected experiments which resolve this interference structure would be an extremely sensitive measure of the anisotropy in the interaction potential.

• Research Organization: Department of Chemistry, and Materials and Molecular Research Division of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
• OSTI ID: 7220716
• Journal Information: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 67:2; ISSN JCPSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640304* -- Atomic
Molecular &amp; Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOM COLLISIONS
ATOM-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
COLLISIONS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
EXCITED STATES
INELASTIC SCATTERING
INTERATOMIC FORCES
INTERFERENCE
KINETICS
MECHANICS
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
QUANTUM MECHANICS
REACTION KINETICS
ROTATIONAL STATES
SCATTERING
SELECTION RULES
SEMICLASSICAL APPROXIMATION