Resonance interaction and self-broadening of alkali resonance lines. I. Adiabatic potential curves

Abstract

Adiabatic potential curves were calculated using perturbation theory for the long-range electrostatic interaction between two alkali atoms of the same species, one being in the ground state, the other in the resonance-excited state. Comparison with recent experiments showed that the observed satellites and asymmetries in the self-broadened quasi-state wings of the alkali resonance lines are the consequence of extrema in certain potential curves between the fine-structure levels.