Orientational and spin–orbital dependence of interatomic forces

Abstract

The representation of weak interactions of open-shell atoms as effective anisotropic potentials is discussed. Examples, mainly from recent molecular-beam studies of collisions of magnetically orientated atoms in P states, prove that the spherically averaged component of the interactions follows systematics established for closed-shell van der Waals forces. Data are being collected to unravel similar systematic trends for the anisotropic component of the interactions.