Potential energy curves and dipole transition moments to the ground state of the system Ar-*(3p(5)4s, P-3, P-1) plus Ne

Relativistic core-potential calculations have been carried out on Omega sta tes resulting from the interaction of Ar*(3p(5)4s, P-3, P-1) with ground st ate Ne atoms. The results yield the correct asymptotic limits for the atomi c states of Ar while shallow minima (700-800 cm(-1)) at large internuclear distances, 7-8 bohr, are obtained for the excited states. Dipole transition moments between pairs of states have been calculated and strong radiative transitions are predicted from excited states to the ground state. The 1(I) state, correlating with the metastable P-3(2) state of Ar is found to have a small dipole transition moment at short and intermediate nuclear distanc es leading to a radiative lifetime for this state of 8.3 mu s. (C) 2000 Ame rican Institute of Physics. [S0021- 9606(00)30737-1].