Abstract
The rotational and translational dynamics of molecular hydrogen trapped within -hydroquinone clathrate (-HQ)—a practical example of a quantum particle trapped within an anisotropic confining potential—were investigated using inelastic neutron scattering and Raman spectroscopy. High-resolution vibrational spectra, including those collected from the VISION spectrometer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, indicate relatively strong attractive interaction between guest and host with a strikingly large splitting of rotational energy levels compared with similar guest-host systems. Unlike related molecular systems in which confined exhibits nearly free rotation, the behavior of -HQ is explained using a two-dimensional (2D) hindered rotor model with barrier height more than 2 times the rotational constant ().
- Received 6 October 2017
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.120402
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