INFLUENCE OF A STRONG MAGNETIC-FIELD ON THE CHEMICAL-BOND OF THE EXCITED H-2(+) ION

The excited electronic states with the magnetic quantum numbers 4m10 of the hydrogen molecular ion are investigated. In the field-free case the lowest electronic states with m5 possess purely repulsive potential-energy curves and are, therefore, unbound. In the presence of a strong magnetic field the shape of these electronic states changes drastically. For parallel internuclear and magnetic-field axes we observe well-pronounced potential wells that contain many vibrational states; the corresponding electronic states are, therefore, strongly bound. The coupling of the electronic degrees of freedom to the ionic center-of-mass motion is estimated. © 1994 The American Physical Society.