The Potential Energies of the Alkali Halides: Errata and Extension of the Semi-Empirical Formula

Abstract

A correction is first made of the author's previous calculations for CsCl, in which an incorrect empirical value was used. By extending the method of Born and Mayer, six constants in the potential energy expression for CsCl are evaluated from available measurements on the lattice and vapor. The results so obtained are then applied to other alkali halides, and permit the determination of the interionic distances in the gas, the lattice energies and heats of sublimation. The agreement with empirical data is satisfactory for the interionic distances, but is otherwise poor.