Langevin model of the rotational diffusion of molecules

Globular molecules in dense gases, liquids, and orientationally disordered crystals experience an incessant fluctuating torque of rather weak magnitude. In gases and liquids the fluctuating torque perturbs the otherwise free rotational motion which becomes diffusive. We treat the rotational diffusion within the Langevin model where the molecules are driven by a stochastic torque and hindered by a friction term. The Langevin equation for molecules with one, two, and three angular degrees of freedom is solved numerically and the dipole and Raman correlation functions are extracted. In the one-dimensional case we compare with the exact solution of the Langevin equation, in two and three dimensions with earlier work and with experimental results.

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