Rotationally inelastic molecule–surface scattering in the sudden approximation

Abstract

Rotational and reorientational transitions in molecular collisions with solid surfaces are investigated by a model based on a sudden approximation with respect to both the rotational and the diffraction states that play a role in the scattering. The approximation developed leads to computationally simple expressions and provides detailed insight into the physical properties of the processes involved. A detailed quantitative study is made of the rotational state distribution produced by the collision, the variation of rotational excitation probabilities with the scattering angle, and related questions. A number of factorizations, sum‐rule, and scaling properties are predicted for ‖ Sjm_j,00;_j′m′_j′,mn ‖², the transition probability between the initial (jm_j) and the final (j′m′_j′) rotational states for scattering into the (mn) diffraction channel. The strongest sum rules and scaling laws are obtained using additional approximations beyond the sudden decoupling. Among the latter results: (1) The j,j′ dependence of ‖ S_{j0,00;j’m’0,mn} ‖² is determined entirely by the difference variable Δj=j′−j. (2) The diffractive intensity distribution summed over all final rotational states is the same as that obtained for a mass‐equivalent atom (with an interaction that is the orientation‐averaged molecule–surface potential). (3) The rotational state distribution, summed over all diffraction states, equals that calculated from a corresponding flat surface. (4) All rotational transition probabilities for the (m,n) diffraction spot can be obtained from the diffraction–rotational transition probabilities in the (m,0) and (n,0) diffraction spots. The above and other properties are tested numerically in the framework of the full sudden approximation for a model of H₂/LiF(001) in the energy range 0.5–0.9 eV. They are found to hold to excellent accuracy. Systematics of the results with regard to variation of the surface corrugation parameter are noted.