Vibrational deactivation of diatomic molecules by collisions with solid surfaces

Abstract

A model is proposed for vibrational deexcitation of diatomic molecules by collisions with a solid surface. The expressions obtained are analyzed to yield insight into the collision dynamics and used to predict the rotational and translational energy distributions, and other properties of interest. The method is developed in the approximation of a stationary surface, and is closely related to a recent model for vibrational relaxation in atom–molecule collisions. From considerations based on the scales of the relevant energy spacings and coupling strengths applied to the vibrational, rotational, and diffraction states involved, the scattering equations are greatly simplified by several approximations. For a simple but realistic class of potentials, analytical expressions are obtained for the deactivation probabilities pertaining to all final translational–rotational channels. Using the expressions of the model, a detailed study is made of: (i) The rotational–translational energy distribution produced by the vibrational energy release, and its dependence on system parameters; (ii) isotope and collision-energy dependence of the deactivation probabilities; (iii) scaling properties of the transition probabilities with regard to ΔJ = J′−J, the change in rotational quantum number. The model is applied numerically to collisions of vibrationally excited H2, D2, T2, HD with a noncorrugated surface over a wide range of energies. The most striking feature of the model results is that a highly dominant fraction of the vibrational energy goes into molecular rotation, the main channel being an almost resonant V–R process in all cases.