The interaction between first excited state hydrogen atoms and a different non-degenerate atom: an example of second-order resonance forces

Abstract

The interaction of a first excited state hydrogen atom with a different non-degenerate atom is considered in the R ^-1 multiple approximation. The interaction energies for the Π states arising from this interaction have the form usually associated with second-order dispersion energies while those for the Σ states behave quite differently as a function of R. Because of a second-order ‘resonance within one molecule effect’ the second-order Σ-state energies do not possess single R ^-1 expansions that are formally valid for all values of R consistent with the multipole treatment. The expansions of these Σ-state energies, that are valid for ‘small’ R, contain terms varying as both even and odd powers of R ^-1; the lead R ^-7 ‘odd’ term competes strongly with the usual R ^-6 dispersion energy. The expansions that are valid for ‘large’ R contain terms varying as even powers of R ^-1 only and usually have little physical meaning. The He(¹S)-H(n=2) interaction is considered as a specific example of these results and the interaction energies for this system are evaluated through O(R ^-8) by using one-centre pseudostate methods. The general significance of the results is also discussed briefly.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

William J. Meath

Members of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Chemical Physics.