Coherent control of atom-diatom reactive scattering:: isotopic variants of H+H2 in three dimensions

Control over reactive and non-reactive cross-sections in 3D atom-diatom scattering is shown to be possible using a superposition of non-degenerate re-vibrational states of the target-diatomic molecule. Depending on the phase and magnitude of the coefficients which describe the initial superposition state. one can, through quantum interference, enhance or suppress the reactive or non-reactive scattering to predetermined product states. Fully converged 3D quantum computations reveal extensive control over the reactive/non-reactive branching ratios in the D + H-2 --> DH + H and the H + H 'D --> HH ' + D; HD + H ' reactions, where H and H ' denote hydrogen atoms which are considered distinguishable. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.