Cluster expansion of the wavefunction. Potential energy curves of the ground, excited, and ionized states of Li2

Abstract

The SAC (symmetry-adapted-cluster) and SAC-CI theories based on the cluster expansion of the wavefunction have been applied to the calculations of the potential energy curves of the ground, excited, and ionized states of the Li2 molecule. The potential energy curves and the spectroscopic properties calculated agree well with the available experimental data and the previous theoretical results of Olson and Konowalow. For the [Formula: see text] state, our calculation is the first and predicts a bound state whose minimum is at Re = 6.8 bohr and 2.5 eV above the ground state. This state dissociates into 2P and 2S states of the Li atoms and has a hump which is higher than and outside of the hump of the B1IIu state. The long-range behavior of the states which dissociate into 2P and 2S states of the Li atom is well predicted by the resonance interaction theory.