https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2005-00028-6
The 4-particle hydrogen-antihydrogen system revisited
Twofold molecular Hamiltonian symmetry and natural atom antihydrogen
Ghent University, Faculty of Sciences, Krijgslaan 281 S30,
9000 Ghent, Belgium
Corresponding author: a guido.vanhooydonk@ugent.be
Received:
11
November
2004
Published online:
15
February
2005
The historical importance of the original
quantum mechanical bond theory proposed by Heitler and London in 1927 as well
as its pitfalls are reviewed. Modern ab initio treatments of H-
systems are inconsistent with the logic behind algebraic Hamiltonians
for charge-symmetrical and charge-asymmetrical 4 unit charge systems
like H2 and H. Their eigenvalues 
are exactly those of 1927 Heitler-London (HL) theory. Since these
2 Hamiltonians are mutually exclusive, only the attractive one can apply for stable natural molecular H2. A wrong choice leads to problems with antiatom . In line with earlier results on band and line spectra, we now prove
that HL chose the wrong Hamiltonian for H2. Their theory explains the stability
of attractive system H2 with a repulsive Hamiltonian 
instead
of with the attractive one 
, representative for
charge-asymmetrical system H. A new second order symmetry effect is detected in
this attractive Hamiltonian, which leads to a 3-dimensional structure for
the 4-particle system. Repulsive HL Hamiltonian H+ applies at long
range but at the critical distance, attractive charge-inverted Hamiltonian
H- takes over and leads to bond H2 but in reality, H, for which we give an analytical proof. This analysis confirms and
generalizes an earlier critique of the wrong long range behavior of
HL-theory by Bingel, Preuss and Schmidtke and by Herring. Another wrong
asymptote choice in the past also applies for atomic antihydrogen , which has hidden the Mexican hat potential for natural hydrogen. This
generic solution removes most problems, physicists and chemists experience
with atomic and molecular H, including the
problem with antimatter in the Universe.
PACS: 34.10.+x – General theories and models of atomic and molecular collisions and interactions (including statistical theories, transition state, stochastic and trajectory models, etc.) / 34.90.+q – Other topics in atomic and molecular collision processes and interactions / 36.10.-k – Exotic atoms and molecules (containing mesons, muons, and other unusual particles)
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2005
