OH inelastic scattering by velocity-map imaging

Differential cross sections for inelastic scattering of OH have been measured by VMI for the first time.

Experimental developments in Dave Parker's laboratory in Nijmegen, in a joint collaboration with Hans ter Meulen and Sarandis Marinakis, have allowed scattered OH products to be detected for the first time by REMPI in conjunction with velocity-map imaging (VMI). This is an important technical development, because it opens up the possibility of detecting OH as as nascent product of many other collision processes. It is also of intrinsic interest as a test of the calculated potential energy surfaces. For noble-gas partners, these should be amongst the most accurate surfaces known. The scattering results were compared with exact close-coupled quantum scattering calculations of the product-state specific differential cross section for OH + He and OH + Ar. The agreement between experiment and theory is generally very satisfactory, except for scattering in the most forward directions, pointing to areas for further development in both experiment and theory.

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1. Inelastic Scattering of Hydroxyl Radicals with Helium and Argon by Velocity-Map Imaging Gautam Sarma, Sarantos Marinakis, J. J. ter Meulen, David H. Parker and Kenneth G. McKendrick Nature Chemistry (2012), 4 985 doi: 10.1038/nchem.1480 *Our artwork featured on the front cover of issue 4 (2012)*

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