Nonequilibrium distribution function theory of diffusion-influenced reversible energy-transfer reactions

Recently, we proposed a new systematic approach to evaluate the many-partic le effects on the diffusion-influenced reactions. The method gives an impro ved result over that obtained by using the superposition approximation. In the present paper, we apply the method to treat the kinetics of reversible energy-transfer reactions of the type A*+B reversible arrow A+B*. Until now , most theories were inapplicable when the lifetime of A* is shorter than t hat of B*, and a notable exception was the integral encounter theory (IET) of Burshtein The present theory can be applied irrespective of the relative magnitude of the lifetimes of donor and acceptor molecules, and becomes ex act for the irreversible target model. In addition, it is applicable to the system with higher reactant densities than IET; the result of IET is recov ered as a limiting form in the present theory. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(99)50322-X].