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Orientation of Benzene in Supersonic Expansions, Probed by IR-Laser Absorption and by Molecular Beam Scattering

F. Pirani, D. Cappelletti, M. Bartolomei, V. Aquilanti, M. Scotoni, M. Vescovi, D. Ascenzi, and D. Bassi
Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 5035 – Published 28 May 2001
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Abstract

This work represents the first experimental demonstration that planar molecules tend to travel as a “frisbee” when a gaseous mixture with lighter carriers expands into a vacuum, the orientation being due to collisions. The molecule is benzene, the prototype of aromatic chemistry. The demonstration is via two complementary experiments: interrogating benzene by IR-laser light and controlling its orientation by selective scattering on rare gas targets. The results cast new light on the microscopic mechanisms of collisional alignment and suggest a useful way to produce intense beams of aligned molecules, permitting studies of steric effects in gas-phase processes and in surface catalysis.

  • Received 4 January 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.5035

©2001 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

F. Pirani1,2, D. Cappelletti1,2, M. Bartolomei1, and V. Aquilanti1,*

  • 1Dipartimento di Chimica and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile ed Ambientale, Università di Perugia, 060123-Perugia, Italy
  • 2INFM, Università di Perugia, 060123-Perugia, Italy

M. Scotoni, M. Vescovi, D. Ascenzi, and D. Bassi

  • INFM and Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento, 38050- Povo, Trento, Italy

  • *

See Also

Disk Molecule Flies Like a Frisbee

Phys. Rev. Focus 7, 25 (2001)

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Vol. 86, Iss. 22 — 28 May 2001

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