Coherent Control of Resonance-Mediated Reactions: F + HD

Cross sections resulting from scattering that proceeds via an intermediate resonance are shown to be exceptionally controllable using a coherent superposition of only two intial states. Full quantum computations on F+HD(v=0;j=0,1) --> H+DF, D+HF, which exhibits a resonance in one of the reactive channels, support the formal arguments, showing that control is indeed vast. In this case the ratio of reactive integral cross sections can be altered by a factor of 62 (compared to a noncoherent factor of only 3.3), while the ratio of reactive differential cross sections can be altered by a factor of over 6000 (compared to a noncoherent factor of less than 7). These results constitute the first prediction of extensive quantum control in a collisional process.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figur

Differential Cross Sections and Cross-Section Ratios for the Electron-Impact Excitation of the Neon 2p⁵3s Configuration

Electron-impact differential cross-section measurements for the excitation of the 2p53s configuration of Ne are reported. The Ne cross sections are obtained using experimental differential cross sections for the electron-impact excitation of the n = 2 levels of atomic hydrogen [Khakoo et al., Phys. Rev. A 61, 012701-1 (1999)], and existing experimental helium differential cross-section measurements, as calibration standards. These calibration measurements were made using the method of gas mixtures (Ne and H followed by Ne and He), in which the gas beam profiles of the mixed gases are found to be the same within our experimental errors. We also present results from calculations of these differential cross sections using the R-matrix and unitarized first-order many-body theory, the distorted-wave Born approximation, and relativistic distorted-wave methods. Comparison with available experimental differential cross sections and differential cross-section ratios is also presented