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Internet Electronic Journal of Molecular Design - IEJMD, ISSN 1538-6414, CODEN IEJMAT
| ABSTRACT - Internet Electron. J. Mol. Des. November 2005, Volume 4, Number 11, 765-785 |
A Theory of the Colossal Van der Waals Binding in Soft and Hard Condensed Matter
Mladen Georgiev, Alexander Gochev, and Jai Singh
Internet Electron. J. Mol. Des. 2005, 4, 765-785
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Abstract:
A simple theory is proposed for the dispersive molecular binding of
unusually high magnitude due to an enhanced polarizability. Two
alternative ways have so far been considered in the literature leading
to the polarizability enhancement: (i) a vibronic energy level gap
narrowing, as proposed by us with regard to a hypothetical exciton
matter and (ii) a giant electric dipole in a Rydberg state of
constituent atoms, as proposed by Gilman with regard to an
enigmatic substance building the ball lightning. We combine the two
mechanisms to obtain concrete expressions for the colossal binding
energy. The problem is exemplified for a three-level system coupled
to the umbrella mode of an ammonia molecule. Other possibilities
for the design of enhanced-polarizability molecules are also
discussed. The colossal Van der Waals binding is most likely to
materialize in hard condensed matter and perhaps less so in soft
condensed matter.
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