Jérôme Loreau

Photodissociation and radiative association of HeH+ in the metastable triplet state.

We investigate the photodissociation of HeH(+) in the metastable triplet state as well as its formation through the inverse process, radiative association. In models of astrophysical plasmas, HeH(+) is assumed to be present only in the ground state, and the influence of the triplet state has not been explored. It may be formed by radiative association during collisions between a proton and metastable helium, which are present in significant concentrations in nebulae. The triplet state can also be formed by association of He(+) and H, although this process is less likely to occur. We compute the cross sections and rate coefficients corresponding to the photodissociation of the triplet state by UV photons from a central star using a wave packet method. We show that the photodissociation cross sections depend strongly on the initial vibrational state and that the effects of excited electronic states and nonadiabatic couplings cannot be neglected. We then calculate the cross section and rate coefficient for the radiative association of HeH(+) in the metastable triplet state.

Elastic scattering and rotational excitation of nitrogen molecules by sodium atoms

A quantal study of the rotational excitation of nitrogen molecules by sodium atoms is carried out. We present the two-dimensional potential energy surface of the NaN(2) complex, with the N(2) molecule treated as a rigid rotor. The interaction potential is computed using the spin unrestricted coupled-cluster method with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations (UCCSD(T)). The long-range part of the potential is constructed from the dynamic electric dipole polarizabilities of Na and N(2). The total, differential, and momentum transfer cross sections for rotationally elastic and inelastic transitions are calculated using the close-coupling approach for energies between 5 cm(-1) and 1500 cm(-1). The collisional and momentum transfer rate coefficients are calculated for temperatures between 100 K and 300 K, corresponding to the conditions under which Na-N(2) collisions occur in the mesosphere.

Potential energy curves for the interaction of Ag(5s) and Ag(5p) with noble gas atoms

We investigate the interaction of ground and excited states of a silver atom with noble gases (NG), including helium. Born-Oppenheimer potential energy curves are calculated with quantum chemistry methods and spin-orbit effects in the excited states are included by assuming a spin-orbit splitting independent of the internuclear distance. We compare our results with experimentally available spectroscopic data, as well as with previous calculations. Because of strong spin-orbit interactions, excited Ag-NG potential energy curves cannot be fitted to Morse-like potentials. We find that the labeling of the observed vibrational levels has to be shifted by one unit.

Charge transfer in proton–helium collisions from low to high energy

The cross section for charge transfer in proton–helium collisions has been computed in the energy range from 10 eV/u up to 10 MeV/u. Four different methods (full quantal time-independent and time-dependent methods, molecular and atomic basis set semi-classical approaches) valid in different energy regimes have been used to calculate the partial and total cross section for single-electron capture. The results are compared with previous theoretical calculations and experimental measurements and the different theoretical methods used are shown to be complementary for describing the charge transfer reaction. A fit of the cross section, valid for collision energies from 10 eV/u up to 10 MeV/u is presented based on these results.

Scattering of nitrogen molecules by silver atoms

We present a quantal study of the rotationally elastic and inelastic scattering of Ag and N(2), with the nitrogen molecule treated as a rigid rotor. The two-dimensional potential energy surface of the AgN(2) complex is obtained ab initio by means of the spin unrestricted coupled-cluster method with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations. The global minimum is found to be located at an internuclear distance of 8.13 a(0) and an angle of 127.2°. The long-range part of the potential is constructed from the dynamic electric dipole polarizabilities of Ag and N(2). Elastic, excitation, and relaxation cross sections and rates are calculated for energies between 0.1 and 5000 cm(-1). The momentum transfer cross sections and rates are also computed. Finally, we compare the cross sections for Ag-N(2) and Na-N(2) to explore the possibility of using silver instead of sodium in experimental tests.

Structure and dynamics of small van der Waals complexes

We illustrate computational aspects of the calculation of the potential energy surfaces of small (up to five atoms) van der Waals complexes with high-level quantum chemistry techniques such as the CCSD(T) method with extended basis sets. We discuss the compromise between the required accuracy and the computational time. Further, we show how these potential energy surfaces can be fitted and used in dynamical calculations such as non-reactive inelastic scattering.

From atoms to biomolecules: A fruitful perspective

We present a summary of the research activities of the “Quantum Chemistry and Atomic Physics” theoretical group of the “Chimie Quantique et Photophysique” Laboratory at Université Libre de Bruxelles. We emphasize the links between the three orientations of the group: theoretical atomic spectroscopy, structure, and molecular dynamics and list the perspectives of our collaboration.

Radiative stabilization and photodissociation of HeH+ in its two lowest 3 sigma plus states

Although it is thought to play an important role in the chemistry of some extra-terrestrial environments, the HeH+ cation has not been detected in space so far. We suggest it could be observed in its triplets rather than singlet states and we study the formation by radiative stabiliation and the destruction by photodissociation of the two lowest states of this symmetry.

Interaction of Ag(5s) and Ag(5p) with noble gas atoms

We investigate the interaction of ground and excited states of silver atom with all the noble gases, including helium. Born-Oppenheimer potential energy curves are calculated with quantum chemical techniques and spin-orbit effects in the excited states are included. We compare with experimentally available spectroscopic data, as well as previous calculations. The assignment of vibrational levels in the one experiment we compare with, may have to shift up by one unit.

Index of refraction of molecular nitrogen for sodium matter waves

We calculate the index of refraction of sodium matter waves propagating through a gas of nitrogen molecules. We use a recent ab initio potential for the ground state of the NaN_2 Van der Waals complex to perform quantal close-coupling calculations and compute the index of refraction as a function of the projectile velocity. We obtain good agreement with the available experimental data. We show that the refractive index contains glory oscillations, but that they are damped by the averaging over the thermal motion of the N_2 molecules. These oscillations appear at lower temperatures and projectile velocity. We also investigate the behavior of the refractive index at low temperature and low projectile velocity to show its dependence on the rotational state of N_2, and discuss the advantage of using diatomic molecules as projectiles.