Reactive scattering of rydberg atoms: H* + D2 --> HD + D*.

The scattering of highly excited hydrogen Rydberg atoms, H* (n = 36), with deuterium molecules in their rovibrational ground state, D2(v = 0, j = 0), has been investigated at a relative collision energy of 0.53 eV. Time-of-flight distributions of elastically/inelastically scattered H* Rydberg atoms and reactively scattered D* Rydberg atoms have been measured at different laboratory angles.