title: Collision photography: polarization imaging of atom-molecule collisions.
abstract: We report differential scattering experiments on the laser excitation of Na + M collision pairs with M = N(2), CO, C(2)H(2), and CO(2). The collision event is probed by the laser polarization revealing geometric and electronic properties of the collision pair. The experimental data are compared to the results of a Monte Carlo trajectory simulation using ab initio quantum chemical data.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Atom- und Molekülphysik, Universität Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Figl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grosser
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jungen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stalder
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rebentrost