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Differential cross sections for spin-orbit changing collisions of highly vibrationally excited NO near 1 K.

ORAL

Abstract

We have employed a “near-copropagating” beam configuration with a 4° intersection angle at the interaction region for scattering experiments which allows us to control the collision energy over a very a broad range, from around 1 K to far above room temperature. We have illustrated this for collisions of highly vibrationally excited NO molecules prepared in single quantum states using simulated emission pumping coupled with velocity map imaging detection. Here we present investigations of the collision-induced spin-orbit relaxation for collisions between vibrationally excited NO molecules (v=10) with Ar near 1 K utilizing the near-copropagating beams over a collision energy range from 1.5 cm-1 to 3.5 cm-1 . The excess energy available due to electronic deexcitation which is manifested in the NO recoil energy provides the platform to study collisions near cold limit while yielding a velocity map image from which the state-to-state DCSs can be extracted. The measured DCSs were compared with predicted DCSs from 2D and 3D quantum scattering calculations involving both multireference configuration interaction and couple cluster potential energy surfaces. The experimental results are found to present a challenge to current state-of-the-art electronic structure calculations.

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Presenters

  • Chatura Perera

    Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia MO

Authors

  • Chandika Amarasinghe

    Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia MO

  • Hongwei Li

    Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia MO

  • Chatura Perera

    Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia MO

  • Matthieu Besemer

    Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  • Junxiang Zuo

    Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

  • Changjian Xie

    Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

  • Ad van der Avoird

    Radboud Univ Nijmegen, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  • Gerrit Groenenboom

    Radboud Univ Nijmegen, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  • Hua Guo

    University of New Mexico, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

  • Jacek Klos

    University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

  • Arthur G Suits

    Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia MO