POTENTIAL ENERGY CURVES FOR THE NEGATIVE ION RESONANCE STATES OF RARE-GAS-HALIDE MOLECULES

Abstract

Several negative ion states of rare-gas-halide molecules have been characterized for the first time. The excited negative ion states correlate to an excited rare-gas atom and a negative halide ion. All of the states are energetically below the upper laser level at large internuclear separations. Several remain below into the Franck-Condon region, while the repulsive curves cross the upper laser level and become autoionizing levels. The possible importance of these states in understanding the performance of rare-gas-halide lasers will be discussed.