Clusters containing open-shell molecules. III. Quantum five-dimensional/two-surface bound-state calculations on ArnOH van der Waals clusters (X2Π, n=4 to 12)

This paper presents a theoretical study of the bound states of the open-shell OH radical in its ground electronic state(X2Π) interacting with n Ar atoms, for n from 4 to 12. After freezing the geometry of the Arn cage or subunit at the equilibrium structure (preceding paper), we carry out nonadiabatic five-dimensional quantum dynamics calculations on two coupled potential energy surfaces, using an extension of the method previously applied to closed-shell ArnHFclusters [J. Chem. Phys. 103, 1829 (1995)]. The method is based on a discrete variable representation (DVR) for the translational motion of OH relative to Arn, combined with a finite basis representation of the OH hindered rotation and electronic structure, including spin–orbit effects. The pattern of OH hindered rotor levels in clusters is similar to that in Ar–OH itself, though extended over three to four times the energy range for n=4 to 9. Ar12OH has a nearly spherical shell of Ar atoms around the OH, so the anisotropic splitting is very small. For n=10 and 11, the anisotropy may be viewed as arising from holes in an otherwise spherical shell, and the resulting patterns of hindered rotor levels are inverted versions of those for Ar2OH and Ar–OH

H2, HD, and D2 inside C60: Coupled translation-rotation eigenstates of the endohedral molecules from quantum five-dimensional calculations

We have performed rigorous quantum five-dimensional (5D) calculations of the translation-rotation (T-R) energy levels and wave functions of H2, HD, and D2 inside C60. This work is an extension of our earlier investigation of the quantum T-R dynamics of H2@C60 [M. Xu et al., J. Chem. Phys. 128, 011101 (2008)] and uses the same computational methodology. Two 5D intermolecular potential energy surfaces (PESs) were employed, differing considerably in their well depths and the degree of confinement of the hydrogen molecule. Our calculations revealed pronounced sensitivity of the endohedral T-R dynamics to the differences in the interaction potentials, and to the large variations in the masses and the rotational constants of H2, HD, and D2. The T-R levels vary significantly in their energies and ordering on the two PESs, as well as from one isotopomer to another. Nevertheless, they all display the same distinctive patterns of degeneracies, which can be qualitatively understood and assigned in terms the model which combines the isotropic three-dimensional harmonic oscillator, the rigid rotor, and the coupling between the orbital and the rotational angular momenta of H2/HD/D2. The quantum number j associated with the rotation of H2, HD, and D2 was found to be a good quantum number for H2 and D2 on both PESs, while most of the T-R levels of HD exhibit strong mixing of two or more rotational basis functions with different j values

Zero frequency divergence and gauge phase factor in the optical response theory

The static current-current correlation leads to the definitional zero frequency divergence (ZFD) in the optical susceptibilities. Previous computations have shown nonequivalent results between two gauges (${\bf p\cdot A}$ and ${\bf E \cdot r}$) under the exact same unperturbed wave functions. We reveal that those problems are caused by the improper treatment of the time-dependent gauge phase factor in the optical response theory. The gauge phase factor, which is conventionally ignored by the theory, is important in solving ZFD and obtaining the equivalent results between these two gauges. The Hamiltonians with these two gauges are not necessary equivalent unless the gauge phase factor is properly considered in the wavefunctions. Both Su-Shrieffer-Heeger (SSH) and Takayama-Lin-Liu-Maki (TLM) models of trans-polyacetylene serve as our illustrative examples to study the linear susceptibility $\chi^{(1)}$ through both current-current and dipole-dipole correlations. Previous improper results of the $\chi^{(1)}$ calculations and distribution functions with both gauges are discussed. The importance of gauge phase factor to solve the ZFD problem is emphasized based on SSH and TLM models. As a conclusion, the reason why dipole-dipole correlation favors over current-current correlation in the practical computations is explained.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Analytical solutions to the third-harmonic generation in trans-polyacetylene: Application of dipole-dipole correlation on the single electron models

The analytical solutions for the third-harmonic generation (THG) on infinite chains in both Su-Shrieffer-Heeger (SSH) and Takayama-Lin-Liu-Maki (TLM) models of trans-polyacetylene are obtained through the scheme of dipole-dipole ($DD$) correlation. They are not equivalent to the results obtained through static current-current ($J_0J_0$) correlation or under polarization operator $\hat{P}$. The van Hove singularity disappears exactly in the analytical forms, showing that the experimentally observed two-photon absorption peak (TPA) in THG may not be directly explained by the single electron models.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Quantum dynamics of coupled translational and rotational motions of H2 inside C60

We report rigorous quantum calculations of the translation-rotation (T-R) eigenstates of the H_2 molecule in C60. The resulting level structure can be explained in terms of a few dominant features. These include the coupling between the orbital and the rotational angular momenta of H_2 to give the total angular momentum λ, and the splitting of the sevenfold degeneracy of T-R levels with λ = 3 by the nonsphericity of C60, according to the rules of the icosahedral I_h group

Coupled translation-rotation eigenstates of H2 in C60 and C70 on the spectroscopically optimized interaction potential: Effects of cage anisotropy on the energy level structure and assignments

We have developed a quantitatively accurate pairwise additive five-dimensional (5D) potential energy surface (PES) for H2 in C60 through fitting to the recently published infrared (IR) spectroscopic measurements of this system for H2 in the vibrationally excited ν = 1 state. The PES is based on the three-site H2-C pair potential introduced in this work, which in addition to the usual Lennard-Jones (LJ) interaction sites on each H atom of H2 has the third LJ interaction site located at the midpoint of the H-H bond. For the optimal values of the three adjustable parameters of the potential model, the fully coupled quantum 5D calculations on this additive PES reproduce the six translation-rotation (T-R) energy levels observed so far in the IR spectra of H2@C60 to within 0.6%. This is due in large part to the greatly improved description of the angular anisotropy of the H2-fullerene interaction afforded by the three-site H2-C pair potential. The same H2-C pair potential spectroscopically optimized for H2@C60 was also used to construct the pairwise additive 5D PES of H2 (v = 1) in C70. This PES, because of the lower symmetry of C70 (D5h) relative to that of C60 (Ih), exhibits pronounced anisotropy with respect to the direction of the translational motion of H2 away from the cage center, unlike that of H2 in C60. As a result, the T-R energy level structure of H2 in C70 from the quantum 5D calculations on the optimized PES, the quantum numbers required for its assignment, and the degeneracy patterns which arise from the T-R coupling for translationally excited H2 are all qualitatively different from those determined previously for H2@C60 [M. Xu et al., J. Chem. Phys. 128, 011101 (2008)]

The Endofullerene HF@C 60 : Inelastic Neutron Scattering Spectra from Quantum Simulations and Experiment, Validity of the Selection Rule and Symmetry Breaking

Accurate quantum simulations of the low-temperature inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectra of HF@C60 are reported for two incident neutron wavelengths. They are distinguished by the rigorous inclusion of symmetry-breaking effects in the treatment and having the spectra computed with HF as the guest, rather than H2 or HD, as in the past work. The results demonstrate that the precedent-setting INS selection rule, originally derived for H2 and HD in near-spherical nanocavities, applies also to HF@C60, despite the large mass asymmetry of HF and the strongly mixed character of its translation–rotation eigenstates. This lends crucial support to the theoretical prediction made earlier that the INS selection rule is valid for any diatomic molecule in near-spherical nanoconfinement. The selection rule remains valid in the presence of symmetry breaking but is modified slightly in an interesting way. Comparison is made with the recently published experimental INS spectrum of HF@C60. The agreement is very good, apart from one peak for which our calculations suggest a reassignment. This reassignment is consistent with the measured INS spectrum presented in this work, which covers an extended energy range

Infrared spectroscopy of small-molecule endofullerenes

Hydrogen is one of the few molecules which has been incarcerated in the molecular cage of C$_{60}$ and forms endohedral supramolecular complex H$_2$@C$_{60}$. In this confinement hydrogen acquires new properties. Its translational motion becomes quantized and is correlated with its rotations. We applied infrared spectroscopy to study the dynamics of hydrogen isotopologs H$_2$, D$_2$ and HD incarcerated in C$_{60}$. The translational and rotational modes appear as side bands to the hydrogen vibrational mode in the mid infrared part of the absorption spectrum. Because of the large mass difference of hydrogen and C$_{60}$ and the high symmetry of C$_{60}$ the problem is identical to a problem of a vibrating rotor moving in a three-dimensional spherical potential. The translational motion within the C$_{60}$ cavity breaks the inversion symmetry and induces optical activity of H$_2$. We derive potential, rotational, vibrational and dipole moment parameters from the analysis of the infrared absorption spectra. Our results were used to derive the parameters of a pairwise additive five-dimensional potential energy surface for H$_2$@C$_{60}$. The same parameters were used to predict H$_2$ energies inside C$_{70}$[Xu et al., J. Chem. Phys., {\bf 130}, 224306 (2009)]. We compare the predicted energies and the low temperature infrared absorption spectra of H$_2$@C$_{70}$.Comment: Updated author lis

Confirming a predicted selection rule in inelastic neutron scattering spectroscopy: the quantum translator-rotator H2 entrapped inside C60

We report an inelastic neutron scattering (INS) study of H2 molecule encapsulated inside the fullerene C60 which confirms the recently predicted selection rule, the first to be established for the INS spectroscopy of aperiodic, discrete molecular compounds. Several transitions from the ground state of para-H2 to certain excited translation-rotation states, forbidden according to the selection rule, are systematically absent from the INS spectra, thus validating the selection rule with a high degree of confidence. Its confirmation sets a precedent, as it runs counter to the widely held view that the INS spectroscopy of molecular compounds is not subject to any selection rules