Chemical Physics

We study the interplay between nonlinearity in exciton transport and trapping due to a sink site for the dimer and the trimer with chain configuration by a numerical integration of the discrete nonlinear Schroedinger equation. Our results for the dimer show, that the formation of a self trapped state due to the nonlinear coupling increases the life time of the exciton substantially. Self trapping can be enhanced by the sink for short times, but for long times it disappears. In the trimer consisting of a subdimer extended by a sink site exists a transition between states localized on the two sites of the subdimer before for larger nonlinear coupling self trapping on one site of the subdimer is observed. For large trapping rates the fear of death effect leads to an increasing life time of the excitation on both, the dimer and the trimer. The sink site is then effectively decoupled. We explain this effect using an asymptotic theory for strong trapping and demonstrate it by direct numerical computation.

A Thomas-Fermi model of a spherical shell of positive charge is investigated, under various boundary conditions. The electron distribution and the ionization charge are given particular attention.

We discuss the origin and relevance for computer simulations of a strong finite-size effect that appears when using the Ewald summation formula. It can be understood as arising from a volume-dependent shift of the potential in a finite, periodic box relative to the infinite volume limit. This shift is due to the fact that the ``zero of energy'' for a periodic system cannot be defined by letting the interacting particles be separated by an infinite distance; the correct definition corresponds to setting its k=0 Fourier mode to zero. The implications of this effect for computer simulations are discussed.

We present a detailed analysis of the mechanism of the primary charge separation process in bacterial photosynthesis using real-time path integrals. Direct computer simulations as well as an approximate analytical theory have been employed to map out the dynamics of the charge separation process in many regions of the parameter space relevant to bacterial photosynthesis. Two distinct parameter regions, one characteristic of sequential transfer and the other characteristic of superexchange, have been found to yield charge separation dynamics in agreement with experiments. Nonadiabatic theory provides accurate rate estimates for low-lying and very high-lying bacteriochlorophyll state energies, but it breaks down in between these two regimes.

The stability of Ne@C 60 and He@C 60 is discussed in the context of a spherical model where the carbon atoms are smeared out into a uniform shell. The electronic properties of the sixty π electrons together with those of the central atom are treated in the Thomas-Fermi approximation. Simple electrostatic reasoning elucidates the nature of the radial stability of the complex. A method to include non-spherical corrections is outlined. Possible bonding topologies of the central atom and the C 60 cage are discussed, as well as the relevance of these topologies to incipient central atom distortions.

It is shown that the C60-fullerene anion has a hydrogen-like spectrum.

The hydration free energies of ions exhibit an approximately quadratic dependence on the ionic charge, as predicted by the Born model. We analyze this behavior using second-order perturbation theory. This provides effective methods to calculating free energies from equilibrium computer simulations. The average and the fluctuation of the electrostatic potential at charge sites appear as the first coefficients in a Taylor expansion of the free energy of charging. Combining the data from different charge states allows calculation of free-energy profiles as a function of the ionic charge. The first two Taylor coefficients of the free-energy profiles can be computed accurately from equi- librium simulations; but they are affected by a strong system-size dependence. We apply corrections for these finite-size effects by using Ewald lattice sum- mation and adding the self-interactions consistently. Results are presented for a model ion with methane-like Lennard-Jones parameters in SPC water. We find two very closely quadratic regimes with different parameters for positive and negative ions. We also studied the hydration free energy of potassium, calcium, fluoride, chloride, and bromide ions. We find negative ions to be solvated more strongly compared to positive ions of equal size, in agreement with experimen- tal data. We ascribe this preference of negative ions to their strong interac- tions with water hydrogens, which can penetrate the ionic van der Waals shell without direct energetic penalty in the models used. We also find a positive electrostatic potential at the center of uncharged Lennard-Jones particles in water, which favors negative ions. Regarding finite-system-size effects, we show that even using only 16 water molecules it is possible to calculate accu- rately the hydration free energy of sodium if self-interactions are considered.

In this work, we propose a geometrical model for the study of conformational properties of a starburst dendrimer with the topology of a truncated Bethe lattice. A convenient embedding of the Bethe lattice in the hyperbolic plane is used to study the architecture of the dendrimer. As results, we find an upper bound for the molecular size and the density profile.

The relation between algebraic and traditional calculations of molecular vibrations is investigated. An explicit connection between interactions in configuration space and the corresponding algebraic interactions is established.

The information content and properties of the cross section for atom scattering from a defect on a flat surface are investigated. Using the Sudden approximation, a simple expression is obtained that relates the cross section to the underlying atom/defect interaction potential. An approximate inversion formula is given, that determines the shape function of the defect from the scattering data. Another inversion formula approximately determines the potential due to a weak corrugation in the case of substitutional disorder. An Optical Theorem, derived in the framework of the Sudden approximation, plays a central role in deriving the equations that conveniently relate the interaction potential to the cross section. Also essential for the result is the equivalence of the operational definition for the cross section for scattering by a defect, given by Poelsema and Comsa, and the formal definition from quantum scattering theory. This equivalence is established here. The inversion result is applied to determine the shape function of an Ag atom on Pt(111) from scattering data.