Reactive scattering: reactions in three dimensions

In this chapter we have described and discussed some of the current state-of-the-art in the study of the dynamics of both simple and complex reactions, with a particular focus on the significant advances in experimental techniques over the last 10–15 years. We have devoted particular attention to the investigation of: (a) polyatomic reactions exhibiting multiple channels, studied using the classic CMB technique with universal mass spectrometric detection; (b) simple three-atom and four-atom prototype reactions, studied using the very high-resolution H-atom Rydberg tagging technique; and (c) simple polyatomic reactions, studied via state-selective time-sliced velocitymapped ion imaging detection of one of the products. Over the course of the chapter, we have emphasized that the implementation of soft ionization by tunable low-energy electrons531 or tunable VUV synchrotron radiation468 for product detection in CMB experiments has been central for progress in the area of multichannel polyatomic reaction dynamics. The time-sliced imaging approach also represents a significant advance in the investigation of polyatomic reaction systems, since with sufficient velocity resolution (in both magnitude and direction), the technique allows one to derive state-correlated information on the coproducts in a bimolecular reaction.