Molecular beam scattering experiments on the reaction K + RbCl: Absolute angular distributions and integral cross sections

Abstract

The angular distributions of the reactive and nonreactive scattering for the system K + RbCl have been restudied in a molecular beam experiment. By absolutely measuring all the primary data, it was possible to obtain the absolute cross section for complex formation (σ_c = 124±21 Ų, E_Trans = 0.18 eV) and the probabilities for reactive (Γ_r = 0.34±0.05; σ_r = 42±9 Ų) and nonreactive decay (Γ_n = 0.66±0.05; σ_n = 82±18 Ų) of the complex. The branching ratio Γ≡Γ_r/Γ_n = 0.52±0.11 agrees with previous experimental work and disagrees with theory. An error was found in the analysis of the earlier experiments. Both the formation of the complex and the energy disposal are now shown to be consistant with the ``loose'' complex model.