Coordinate transformation methods to calculate state-to-state reaction probabilities with wave packet treatments

A procedure for the transformation from reactant to product Jacobi coordinates is proposed, which is designed for the extraction of state-to-state reaction probabilities using a time-dependent method in a body-fixed frame. The method consists of several steps which involve a negligible extra computational time as compared with the propagation. Several intermediate coordinates are used, in which the efficiency depends on the masses of the atoms involved in the reaction. A detailed study of the relative efficiency of using reactant and product Jacobi coordinates is presented for several systems, and simple arguments are found depending on the masses of the atoms involved in the reaction. It is found that the proposed method is, in general, more efficient than the use of product Jacobi coordinates, specially for nonzero total angular momentum. State-to-state reaction probabilities are obtained for Li+FH -> LiF+H and F+HO -> FH+O collisions for several total angular momenta. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.