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Formation of slow molecules in chemical reactions in crossed molecular beams

TitleFormation of slow molecules in chemical reactions in crossed molecular beams
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsTscherbul, TV, Barinovs, G, Klos, J, Krems, RV
JournalPHYSICAL REVIEW A
Volume78
Pagination022705
Date PublishedAUG
ISSN1050-2947
Abstract

We demonstrate that chemical reactions in collisions of molecular beams can generally produce low-velocity molecules in the laboratory-fixed frame. Our analysis shows that collisions of beams may simultaneously yield slow reactant molecules and slow products. The reaction products are formed in selected rovibrational states and scattered in a specific direction, which can be controlled by tuning the kinetic energies of the incident beams and the angle between the beams. Our calculations indicate that chemical reactions of polar alkali-metal dimers are barrierless and we suggest that chemical reactions involving alkali-metal dimers may be particularly suitable for producing slow molecules in crossed beams.

DOI10.1103/PhysRevA.78.022705