Quantum mechanical reactive scattering theory

✍ Scribed by D. J. Kouri

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 638 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0538-8066
• DOI: 10.1002/kin.550180916

✦ Synopsis

In this article we briefly discuss a number of promising approaches to the formulation of a general, numerically exact, quantum mechanical theory of fully three-dimensional reactive atom-diatom collisions. It is noted that the ability to treat the three-dimensional H + HY exchange reactions is pre-requisite to any demonstration of the success of a general quantum mechanical formalism for reactive scattering. However, it is also noted that the time has come for any such theory to further demonstrate the ability to go beyond this basic, elementary atom-diatom exchange reaction. It is spetulated that there now exist a number of approaches which can potentially provide such a general framework for quantum reactive scattering theory. Finally, a new generalization of the Faddeev formalism for such systems, which is capable of inclusion of three body forces with a completely general form for the potential surface, is presented.