The marriage of two very powerful techniques - cryogenic matrix isolation spectroscopy and seeded supersonic molecular beams - has led to the development of a novel type of cryogenic matrix isolation spectroscopy in ultracold, near 0 K, He droplets. The technique known as helium nanodroplet isolation (HENDI) has seen tremendeous experimental interest over the past 20 years; this in turn has resulted in the availability of spectroscopic data for many molecules and clusters embedded in He clusters. The experimental findings havemotivated a large number of theoretical calculations. This dissertation focuses on theoretical and computational studies of the rotational dynamics of weakly bound van der Waals clusters with its main theme being the dynamics of molecules and small molecular dimers embedded in superfluid He-4 nanodroplets. The single molecular dopant systems studied were clusters of HCN-(He)N, HX-(He)N, where X = F, Cl, Br as well as NH3-(He)N, with N = 1 - 20. Ground and excited state calculations were performed using the rigid body diffusion Monte Carlo (RBDMC) algorithm. For the excited state calculations a new approach was developed: adiabatic-node DMC (ANDMC). The ANDMC method was used to study the renormalization of molecular rotational constants in He droplets. It revealed that the dynamics depend on a delicate interplay between the gas phase rotational constant value and the anisotropies in the potential energy interaction between the He atom and the dopant. Also presented are the results of the first DMC simulations of the ammonia dimer doped into a small droplet of He-4. Further, a new approach to finding nodal surfaces for DMC simulations was developed that involved using a genetic algorithm (GA). This method was implemented to systematically and automatically compute nodal surfaces of excited states of the HCN-He complex and of the interchange tunneling splitting in the hydrogen-bonded HCl-HCl complex. The classical rotational dynamics of HX-He complexes with X = F, Cl, Br, CN were studied to gain insight into quantum simulations and revealed highly chaotic dynamics for states with J > 0. Fractal Weyl law behavior in an open, chaotic Hamiltonian system is the subject of the final chapter.

We cool and study trans-Stilbene, Nile Red and Benzonitrile in a cryogenic (7K) cell filled with low density helium buffer gas. No molecule-helium cluster formation is observed, indicating limited atom-molecule sticking in this system. We place an upper limit of 5% on the population of clustered He-trans-Stilbene, consistent with a measured He-molecule collisional residence time of less than \(1 \mu s\). With several low energy torsional modes, trans-Stilbene is less rigid than any molecule previously buffer gas cooled into the Kelvin regime. We report cooling and gas phase visible spectroscopy of Nile Red, a much larger molecule. Our data suggest that buffer gas cooling will be feasible for a variety of small biological molecules. The same cell is also ideal for studying collisional relaxation cross sections. Measurements of Benzonitrile vibrational state decay results in determination of the vibrational relaxation cross sections of \(\sigma_{22} = 8x10^{-15} cm^2\) and \(\sigma_{21} = 6x10^{-15} cm^2\) for the 22 (v=1) and 21 (v=1) states. For the first time, we directly observe formation of cold molecular dimers in a cryogenic buffer gas cell and determine the dimer formation cross section to be \(\sim10^{-13} cm^2\). / Physics

Cette thèse à été réalisée au sein de l'équipe d'astrophysique de laboratoire du département de physique moléculaire de l'Institut de Physique de Rennes. Dans ces travaux, une première partie présente l'application de la technique CRESU à l'étude d'agrégats de Van der Waals d'eau et de propane. Nous avons observé expérimentalement la formations d'agrégats d'eau sur une gamme de températures allant de 22.9 à 69.4 K, puis modélisé les premières étapes de l'agrégation en nous appuyant sur la détermination théorique de coefficients de vitesse. Nous avons également effectué les premières mesures du coefficient de formation du dimère de propane sur une gamme de température allant de 22.9 à 49.1 K. La seconde partie de ces travaux porte sur la détection de les produits de réactions impliquant les atomes de carbone et diverses molécules (C2H4, C2H6, C4H8 et NH3) à une température ambiante. Ces études ont été menées au synchrotron de l'Adavanced Light Source de Berkeley. Nous avons également étudié la cinétique et la formation des produits de la réaction entre atomes de carbone et ammoniac sur une gamme de température allant de 50 à 296 K. Pour cela nous avons utilisé le dispositif CRESU de l'Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Bordeaux. Ces données ont été incrémentées dans un modèle de nuage interstellaire dense afin de voir leur influence sur l'abondance des hydrures azotées. Les travaux de cette thèse contribuent à mieux comprendre les mécanismes de réactions élémentaires menant à la formation et à la croissance de molécules et d'agrégats de Van der Waals en phase gazeuse dans des conditions physiques variées. Ils fournissent des données importantes pour la modélisation d'atmosphères planétaires, de nuages interstellaires et de processus de combustion. / This thesis has been carried out in the team of astrophysics laboratory in the Molecular Physics Department of the Physics Institute of Rennes. In this work, a first part presents the application of the CRESU technique to aggregation of van der Waals clusters of water and propane. We experimentally observed water aggregation on a range of temperatures from 22.9 to 69.4 K, then modeled the early stages of aggregation building on the theoretical determination of rate coefficients. We also made the first measurements of propane dimer formation coefficient over a temperature range of 22.9 to 49.1 K. The second part of this work concerns the detection of the products reactions involving carbon atoms and various molecules (C2H4 , C2H6 , C4H8 and NH3) at room temperature. These studies were conducted at the synchrotron Adavanced Light Source of Berkeley . We also studied the kinetics and products formation of the reaction between carbon atoms and ammonia over a temperature range of 50-296 K. To do this we used the device CRESU of the molecular science institute of Bordeaux. This data was incremented in a dense interstellar cloud model to see their influence on the abundance of nitrogen hydrides. The work of this thesis contribute to better understanding the mechanisms of reactions leading to the formation and growth of molecules and van der Waals clusters in the gas phase in various physical conditions. They provide important data for modeling planetary atmospheres , interstellar clouds and combustion process.