Effect of vibronic coupling on the long range intermolecular interaction

Abstract

The nonadiabatic energy correction term of the hydrogen molecule at large separation is discussed to determine whether or not the nuclear motion induces the inter-atomic interaction potential. Nonadiabatic vibrational motion of nuclei induces the internal charge polarization of atoms to give the novel correction term to the London R−6 force. The correction term is (4/M) (1/R3), which is important at large R despite the overwhelming magnitude of nuclear mass.