The behavior of the rotational quenching for a molecular ion in collision with closed-shell neutral gases is investigated. We confirm that Wigner's threshold law for inelastic scattering holds in the presence of a long-range interaction due to polarization forces decreasing as the inverse fourth power of the distance but find that, because of the contributions of the higher angular momenta, its range of applicability is markedly reduced when compared to the scattering by neutral species. The calculations of the quenching cross sections make evident the special features of ionic systems at ultralow collisi on energies and yield rate coefficients of the order of 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1), much larger than those found for the quenching of neutral molecules.
Rotational quencing in ionic systems at ultracold temperatures / Bodo, Enrico; E., Scifoni; F., Sebastianelli; Gianturco, Francesco Antonio; G., Dalgarno. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS. - ISSN 0031-9007. - STAMPA. - 89:(2002), pp. 283201-1-283201-4. [10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.283201]
Rotational quencing in ionic systems at ultracold temperatures
BODO, Enrico;GIANTURCO, Francesco Antonio;
2002
Abstract
The behavior of the rotational quenching for a molecular ion in collision with closed-shell neutral gases is investigated. We confirm that Wigner's threshold law for inelastic scattering holds in the presence of a long-range interaction due to polarization forces decreasing as the inverse fourth power of the distance but find that, because of the contributions of the higher angular momenta, its range of applicability is markedly reduced when compared to the scattering by neutral species. The calculations of the quenching cross sections make evident the special features of ionic systems at ultralow collisi on energies and yield rate coefficients of the order of 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1), much larger than those found for the quenching of neutral molecules.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
