We have carried out a systematic crossed molecular beam study of the hydrogen exchange reaction in the H+D2→HD+D isotopic form at two collision energies: 0.53 and 1.28 eV. The Rydberg atom time-of-flight method was used to measure the D-atom product angle-velocity distribution. For the first time ro-vibrational quantum state resolved differential cross sections for the title reaction were measured, which can directly be compared to theoretical predictions at this detailed level. Experimental results are compared to theoretical predictions from both quasi classical and quantum mechanical calculations on different potential energy surfaces as well as to earlier experiments. A general good agreement is found for the converged quantum mechanical calculations with indications that the Boothroyd-Keogh-Martin-Peterson potential energy surface is better suited to describe the dynamics of the reaction. For the higher collision energy the quasi classical trajectory calculations reproduce the experimental data quite well, whereas they fail to describe the situation at the lower collision energy especially with respect to angular resolved differential cross sections.

The H + H 2 exchange reaction constitutes an excellent benchmark with which to test dynamical theories against experiments. The H + D 2 (vibrational quantum number v = 0, rotational quantum number j = 0) reaction has been studied in crossed molecular beams at a collision energy of 1.28 electron volts, with the use of the technique of Rydberg atom time-of-flight spectroscopy. The experimental resolution achieved permits the determination of fully rovibrational state-resolved differential cross sections. The high-resolution data allow a detailed assessment of the applicability and quality of quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) and quantum mechanical (QM) calculations. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with the QM results and in slightly worse agreement with the QCT results. This theoretical reproduction of the experimental data was achieved without explicit consideration of geometric phase effects.

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The hydrogen exchange reaction in its HϩD 2 (vϭ0,jϭ0)→HD(vЈϭ0,jЈ)ϩD isotopic variant has been investigated theoretically and experimentally at the collision energies 0.52 eV, 0.531 eV and 0.54 eV. A detailed comparison of converged quantum mechanical scattering calculations and state-to-state molecular beam experiments has allowed a direct assessment of the quality of the different ab initio potential energy surfaces used in the calculations, and strongly favors the newly refined version of the Boothroyd-Keogh-Martin-Peterson surface. The differences found in the calculations are traced back to slight differences in the topology of the potential energy surfaces.