Optical Polarization of Molecules

By Marcis Auzinsh and Ruvin Ferber

This book explains the theory and methods by which gas molecules can be polarized by light, a subject of considerable importance for what it tells us about the electronic structure of molecules and properties of chemical reactions. Starting with a brief review of molecular angular momentum, the text goes on to consider resonant absorption, fluorescence, photodissociation and photoionization, as well as collisions and static fields. A variety of macroscopic effects are considered, among them angular distribution and the polarization of emitted light, ground state depopulation, laser-induced dichroism, the effect of collisions and external magnetic and electric field effects. Most examples in the book are for diatomic molecules, but symmetric-top polyatomic molecules are also included. The book concludes with a short appendix of essential formulae, tables for vector calculus, spherical functions, Wigner rotation matrices, Clebsch-Gordan coefficients, and methods for expansion over irreducible tensors.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521673445
• ISBN13: 9780521673440
• Release Date: June 2005
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 324 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.7" x 9.6"