Approximations for the inner branch of potential curves of diatomic molecules

Abstract

Three potential energy functions are examined with respect to their ability to reproduce the inner branch of the potential curve for 43 molecular states. Two of the states turn out to be unusual. In the remaining 41 cases, it is found that a potential proposed by the author gives the least error in 28 cases and is close to the least error in another six. The potential curves of NaAr(X) and XeCl(X) are very different from those of the other 41 states considered in this paper. The Born–Mayer potential appears to provide a reasonable representation of the inner branch of the potential curve for XeCl(X).