Reduced potential energy curves of some electronic states of alkali molecules

Abstract

The reduced potential energy curves of the X¹Σ⁺ _g, A¹Σ⁺ _u and B¹II_u states of Li₂ and Na₂, and X¹Σ⁺ _g and B¹II_u states of K₂, based on the Rydberg-Klein-Rees (RKR) potential energy curves, have been calculated. These have been compared with the reduced potential energy curve of the X¹Σ⁺ _g state of H₂. The reduced potential energy curve of the alkali molecules lie slightly on the left of the reduced potential curve of the ground state of H₂. This deviation is opposite to that observed for other molecules.