Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.104, No.21, 8490-8492, 1996
Virtual Angular-Momentum - The Dynamics of Inverting Molecules in an Electrostatic Hexapole Field
The semiclassical dynamics of a molecule which undergoes tunneling inversion while traversing an electrostatic hexapole field is shown to be described by the motion of a two dimensional harmonic oscillator with angular momentum L(upsilon). Analytical expressions are provided which show explicitly the dependence of L(upsilon) on the molecular inversion frequency. A comparison between calculated and experimental focusing curves is also presented.