Reactive scattering of Rydberg atoms

Abstract

A state-of-the-art crossed molecular beam experiment to study the dynamics of bimolecular reactions of electronically highly excited atoms and molecules has been developed. This was primarily designed to investigate the reaction of highly excited Rydberg hydrogen atoms with D(_2) molecules. This reaction is of special interest as it can be compared to the ion-molecule reaction H(^+) + D(_2), using the free electron model and this reaction acts as a benchmark to theoreticians in the quest to understand more complex reactions. The equipment has been calibrated and tested using the well known photodissociation of HI. The initial reactive scattering ion images for H* + D(_2) reaction have been recorded. It was hoped that it would be possible to extract state-to-state differential cross sections; however, to date sufficient resolution has not been achieved, and reasons for this are explored in this study. An overview of the suitability of the prototype molecular wire 1, 4- bis(phenylethynyl)benzene is also included. In this study UV spectra resolving the torsional motion of the benzene rings have been produced using the technique of cavity ring-down spectroscopy.