Semiclassical theory of Fermi resonance between stretching and bending modes in polyatomic molecules

Approximate semiclassical solutions are developed for a system of a Morse oscillator coupled to a harmonic oscillator via a nonlinear perturbation. This system serves as a model for the interaction of an excited stretching mode with a bending mode in a polyatomic molecule. Three semiclassical methods are used to treat this model. In particular, a matrix diagonalization, a two-state model, and a uniform semiclassical approximation (USC) based on Mathieu functions are each used to determine the splittings and state mixing involved in these stretch-bend Fermi resonances. For small perturbations, approximate analytic semiclassical expressions are obtained for the system treated. These analytic expressions are given for the splittings using a two-state or USC method and for the overlaps of the zeroth order states with the eigenstates of the molecule using a USC method.