Depolarized light scattering studies of the collision induced polarizability anisotropy of atoms and spherical top molecules

Abstract

New measurements are reported of the density dependent depolarization ratio for argon, krypton, xenon, methane and sulphur hexafluoride, and the results are analysed to provide values for the second and third depolarization virial coefficients. The relationships between the second depolarization virial coefficient, the zeroth moment of the two-body Rayleigh spectrum and the second Kerr virial coefficient are considered, and it is shown that they now provide consistent results for the collision-induced pair polarizability anisotropy. Former inconsistencies are attributed to insufficient allowance for the effects of three-body interactions. Calculations of the second and third depolarization virial coefficients based on the DID model and using the Maitland-Smith potential are in excellent agreement with the experimental results for argon, krypton and xenon.