Interaction Potential between the Ground States of H andH−

Abstract

An investigation of the interaction potential for H and ${\mathrm{H}}^{-}$ in both ungerade and gerade modes is carried out by a semiempirical method in which the recently observed isotope effect in dissociative attachment of electrons to hydrogen molecules is used. The interaction obtained is complex, and the imaginary parts of the interaction account for electron emissions during the course of the interaction. A comparison of the present result with other calculations is presented. The isotope effect in dissociative attachment is also discussed. It is shown that the ratios of the survival probabilities alone do not provide an adequate approximation for the isotope effect.