Very-long-lived metastable vibrational states of Ba₂⁺⁺

Authors

Stanley J. Sramek, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
J.A. Macek, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Gordon A. Gallup, UNLFollow

Date of this Version

May 1980

Comments

Published by American Physical Society. Phys. Rev. A 21, 1361 (1980). http://pra.aps.org. Copyright © 1980 American Physical Society. Permission to use.

Abstract

Potential-energy curves for the ¹ Σ^g+ states of Ba₂⁺⁺ are exhibited. The ground-state curve shows a local minimum lying 0.0562 a.u. above the energy at infinite separation, and a local maximum lying at 0.0618. These features form a potential well in which metastable vibrational states can exist. The lifetimes are estimated as high as 10¹⁹⁷ sec, using the WKB method. Considerations regarding experimental formation and detection of bound Ba₂⁺⁺ are discussed.