Transition-State Spectroscopy of Partial Wave Resonances in the F + HD Reaction

Abstract

Partial View Skilled billiard players can easily predict how spinning of one ball will affect the trajectory of the second ball it strikes in a collision. In principle, quantum mechanics can be used to predict the analogous impact of the angular momentum of reagents on the outcome of a chemical reaction. In practice, however, observation of most chemical reactions—even in the confines of a molecular beam apparatus—encompasses a vast number of collisions over multiple angular momentum distributions. Dong et al. (p. 1501 ; see the Perspective by Althorpe ) have honed their spectroscopic resolution sufficiently to distinguish the impact of subtle angular momentum variations on the reactivity of fluorine with hydrogen atoms. Their data agree with theory and reveal oscillating peaks in reaction probability, termed partial wave resonances.