RADIATIVE DECAY OF THE HEH+ (B(3)SIGMA(+)) MOLECULAR ION

The rate of the radiative decay of the HeH+(b (3) Sigma(+)) molecular ion has been investigated. At infinite internuclear separation the b ( 3) Sigma(+) electronic state dissociates to form metastable atomic hel ium He(2 S-3) and a proton H+. The optically allowed electronic transi tion to the lowest triplet HeH+(a (3) Sigma(+)) state which dissociate s to He+(1s) and H(1s) was considered. This transition can lead to the population of metastable triplet (a (3) Sigma(+)) states in beams of HeH+ ions.