Variational studies of bound states of theH−ion in a magnetic field

Abstract

Variational calculations of bound states of ${\mathrm{H}}^{-}$ ions in magnetic fields have been undertaken in an attempt to understand the role of magnetic field, exchange, and correlation in the binding, particularly for those states which are unbound in the absence of a field. Field-induced binding at weak fields is pictured as a trapping of the outer electron in two dimensions by the magnetic field and in the third dimension by the induced polarization of the inner H atom. Singlet and triplet states of various angular momenta are studied. Results are presented also for a number of He-atom levels. It is shown that positrons bind to H atoms in a magnetic field.