Study of vibrational energy transfer at a surface by a time-of-flight method

Abstract

A single collision, time-of-flight extension of the VEM method for the study of molecule-surface vibrational energy transfer is introduced. The technique helps election between possible alternative trial analytic forms of the collisional transition probability function. A Gaussian form is preferred over a Boltzmann-exponential form for cyclobutene isomerization to 1.3-butadiene energized by collisions at a silica surface at 800 K.