Abstract
In this review, we report our recent studies on the steric effect in the gas phase reaction which has been performed by using the oriented molecular and atomic beams. The preparation of the molecular orientation and the atomic orientation by using the inhomogeneous electrostatic and magnetic field is summarized. The typical experimental arrangements are presented, and some experimental results based on these techniques are reviewed. In addition, the theoretical representation to describe the effect of the mutual orientation of reagents on the outcome of reactive beam collisions is summarized. The axial distributions and the cross sections are expanded in series of Legendre polynomials and real spherical harmonics, respectively, and characterized by the expansion coefficients. The interrelations between the moments of the cross sections and the experimental data on the steric effect are presented.
