The N2–N2 system: An experimental potential energy surface and calculated rotovibrational levels of the molecular nitrogen dimer

An accurate new representation for the potential energy surface for the N2–N2 dimer has been obtained from the analysis of scattering experiments from our laboratory, and of available second virial coefficient data. A harmonic expansion functional form describes the salient geometries of the dimer and accounts for the relative contributions to the intermolecular interaction from components of different nature. The equilibrium geometry is a T conformation with well depth 13.3 meV (107.14 cm−1) and at a distance of 4.03 Å. In order to assist in the analysis of spectra, we calculated the bound rotovibrational states for the (N2)2 system for J⩽6 by solving a secular problem over the exact Hamiltonian, considering the N2 monomers as rigid rotors, and where the Coriolis coupling is included.