The effect of a nonresonant radiative field on low-energy rotationally inelastic $\text{Na}^{+} + \text{N}_2$ collisions

Abstract

We examine the effects of a linearly polarized nonresonant radiative field on the dynamics of rotationally inelastic $\text{Na}^{+} + \text{N}_2$ collisions at eV collision energies. Our treatment is based on the Fraunhofer model of matter wave scattering and its recent extension to collisions in electric fields [arXiv:0804.3318v1]. The nonresonant radiative field changes the effective shape of the target molecule by aligning it in the space-fixed frame. This markedly alters the differential and integral scattering cross sections. As the cross sections can be evaluated for a polarization of the radiative field collinear or perpendicular to the relative velocity vector, the model also offers predictions about steric asymmetry of the collisions.