Boson trimers with nonzero total angular momenta

The lowest energy states of van der Waals trimers of identical spinless bos ons with one and two units of total angular momentum are examined. Paramete rs corresponding to He-4 and para-H-2 are treated and the relation of the r esults to level orderings for the rotation of rigid symmetric molecules is discussed. The 2(+) rotational state of the para-H-2 trimer is bound by 3 K relative to the dimer, while the rotational states of He-4(3), if any, hav e binding energies of less than 1 mK relative to He-4(2). (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(99)01005-3].