Repulsive Potential-Energy Curves for the Rare-Gas Atoms

An inversion technique is described for the determination of the repulsive part of the potential-energy curve from experimental dilute-gas transport-coefficient data. Potential curves determined by this method for the rare gases agree closely over the energy range 0.2–0.5 eV with the results obtained from molecular-beam data. A comparison of these curves with the results of calculations based on the simple Thomas–Fermi–Dirac model of the atom shows the theoretical curves to be remarkably accurate.