Shaffer Research Group
Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics at the University of Oklahoma
|
||
|
Orientational Probability
Distribution
Function (opdf) movie
for 2 rotational states of the asymmetric top molecule CH3CHO
"Acetaldehyde" whose
stark energy curves feature an avoided crossing at E around 49 kV/cm. Clicking the image will open a new window to play the movie. 
Here, the electric field increases frame by frame and is directed along the positive lab-fixed Z axis. The electric field increases in much smaller amounts per frame along the avoided crossing, showing the dynamics there in slow-motion. The spherical angles in the plots correspond to two of the Euler angles: The polar angle corresponds to the first Euler angle (Theta) and gives the direction of the molecular body-fixed z-axis (for Acetaldehyde this is close to but not exactly the dipole-axis) w.r.t. the lab-fixed E-field axis Z; the azimuthal angle corresponds to the third Euler angle (Chi) and correspond to the degree of rotation of the molecule around its own z-axis. There is not need to plot the second Euler angle (Phi), which would give the azimuthal direction of the molecular z-axis w.r.t. the lab frame, as there is azimuthal symmetry in the problem and a plot would be symmetric around Phi. The 2 states' quantum numbers are |J=2, tau=2, M=2> (left) and |J=5, tau=-5, M=2> (right). |
||
|
Web Design © 2005 Jamie E. Hegarty. All other content © 2005 Shaffer Research Group. |
||
