Periodic orbit–Quantum mechanical investigation of the inversion mechanism of Ar3

Abstract

The inversion mechanism of a T-shaped Ar3 is studied both classically and quantum mechanically. Regular states, localized in the region of the transition state for the inversion of the axial argon atom are found and are assigned by the symmetric stretch stable periodic orbits which emanate from the saddle point of the potential. These states inhibit the inversion process. States which promote the inversion are mainly irregular, but a few of them are localized and they have their nodes perpendicularly arranged along periodic orbits which originate from saddle node bifurcations. The two types of periodic orbits, inhibiting and isomerizing, are used to produce distinctly different spectra and to extract the corresponding eigenfunctions by solving the time dependent Schrödinger equation using a variable order finite difference method [J. Chem. Phys. 111, 10827 (1999), preceding paper].