Adiabat-to-Diabat Angle in Seam Space: Renner-Teller-Type and Pseudo-Jahn-Teller-Type Problems

Abstract

In this study, we examine the adiabat-to-diabat (ATD) angles for trajectories in 2-dimensional vibrational subspace of the seam space of two degenerate states. In circulating around the tangential touching degeneracy center, the ATD angle is changed by $2\pi$ or 0, similar to the Renner-Teller problem and the pseudo-Jahn-Teller problem, respectively. These ATD angle profiles may be indistinguishable from those of circulating multiple conical intersections or a pseudo-Jahn-Teller center. Methods to discern those seemingly indistinguishable cases are proposed. A sharp zigzag variation of the ATD angle is seen as a feature for trajectories that graze a pseudo-Jahn-Teller-type tangential touching center, in contrast to the monotonic steep variation for grazing a conical intersection or a Renner-Teller-type tangential touching center.

Keywords: Adiabat-to-Diabat Angle; Pseudo-Jahn-Teller; Renner–Teller; Seam Space; Vibronic Coupling.