Sensitive Low-Recoil VUV 1 + 1' REMPI Detection of ND.

In molecular beam scattering experiments, an important technique for measuring product energy and angular distributions is velocity map imaging following photoionization of one or more scattered species. For studies with cold molecular beams, the ultimate resolution of such a study is often limited by the product detection process. When state-selective ionization detection is used, excess energy from the ionization step can transfer to kinetic energy in the target molecular ion-electron pair, resulting in measurable cation recoil.

Quantum state-resolved molecular dipolar collisions over four decades of energy.

Collisions between cold polar molecules represent a fascinating research frontier but have proven hard to probe experimentally. We report measurements of inelastic cross sections for collisions between nitric oxide (NO) and deuterated ammonia (ND) molecules at energies between 0.1 and 580 centimeter, with full quantum state resolution.

Mapping partial wave dynamics in scattering resonances by rotational de-excitation collisions.

One of the most important parameters in a collision is the 'miss distance' or impact parameter, which in quantum mechanics is described by quantized partial waves. Usually, the collision outcome is the result of unavoidable averaging over many partial waves. Here we present a study of low-energy NO-He collisions that enables us to probe how individual partial waves evolve during the collision.

Spectroscopic Identification of the Carbyne Hydride Structure of the Dehydrogenation Product of Methane Activation by Osmium Cations.

The present work explores the structures of species formed by dehydrogenation of methane (CH) and perdeuterated methane (CD) by the 5d transition metal cation osmium (Os). Using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT), the structures of the [Os,C,2H] and [Os,C,2D] products are explored. This study complements previous work on the related species formed by dehydrogenation of methane by four other 5d transition metal cations (M = Ta, W, Ir, and Pt).