Theoretical and Computational Studies of Electronic Transitions in Molecular Collisions.

Abstract

Semiclassical and quantum mechanical methods were developed to describe energy transfer and reaction dynamics in molecular collision systems. Emphasis was given to processes involving electronic transitions and the dynamic coupling of two or more potential energy surfaces. Calculations were carried out for reactive collisions of a proton with deuterium molecule and reactive collisions of fluorine atom in its excited spin-orbit state with hydrogen molecule. Calculations were also performed for nonreactive collisions of halogen atoms with hydrogen molecule, where resonance behavior in electronic-to-rotational energy transfer was observed for the case of fluorine atom, and likewise in electronic-to-vibrational energy transfer for the case of bromine atom. The semiclassical and quantum mechanical methods were extended to the study of molecular collision processes in the presence of intense laser radiation (power density greater than a megawatt per square centimeter). This study revealed that such radiation can have dramatic effects on the dynamics of energy transfer and chemical reactions.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 13, 1977
Accession Number
ADA050380

Entities

People

  • Thomas F. George

Organizations

  • University of Rochester

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chemical Reactions
  • Collisions
  • Deuterium
  • Dynamics
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Fluorine
  • Hydrogen
  • Molecules
  • Potential Energy
  • Quantum Properties
  • Radiation
  • Spin-Orbit Interaction
  • Transitions

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers
  • Microelectronics
  • Quantum Computing
  • Space