Issue 3, 2024

Addressing electronic and dynamical evolution of molecules and molecular clusters: DFTB simulations of energy relaxation in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract

We present a review of the capabilities of the density functional based Tight Binding (DFTB) scheme to address the electronic relaxation and dynamical evolution of molecules and molecular clusters following energy deposition via either collision or photoabsorption. The basics and extensions of DFTB for addressing these systems and in particular their electronic states and their dynamical evolution are reviewed. Applications to PAH molecules and clusters, carbonaceous systems of major interest in astrochemical/astrophysical context, are reported. A variety of processes are examined and discussed such as collisional hydrogenation, fast collisional processes and induced electronic and charge dynamics, collision-induced fragmentation, photo-induced fragmentation, relaxation in high electronic states, electronic-to-vibrational energy conversion and statistical versus non-statistical fragmentation. This review illustrates how simulations may help to unravel different relaxation mechanisms depending on various factors such as the system size, specific electronic structure or excitation conditions, in close connection with experiments.

Graphical abstract: Addressing electronic and dynamical evolution of molecules and molecular clusters: DFTB simulations of energy relaxation in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
19 Kho 2023
Accepted
17 Nhl 2023
First published
19 Nhl 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2024,26, 1499-1515

Addressing electronic and dynamical evolution of molecules and molecular clusters: DFTB simulations of energy relaxation in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

M. Rapacioli, M. Y. Buey and F. Spiegelman, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2024, 26, 1499 DOI: 10.1039/D3CP02852F

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