Binding energy and scattering length for diatomic systems

Abstract

We discuss the relationship between scattering length and binding energy for a diatomic system with long-range van der Waals interaction. The well-known relation, ϵ0 = −(ℏ2/2μ)(1/a0)2, is generalized to much higher orders for the s wave. Analytic results for the binding energies of p and higher angular momentum states are also presented.