The ground state well depth position Rm of Van der Waals molecules and the spectral line shapes

As the ground state potential curve is strongly related to spectral line shapes, the minumum position of the ground state potential is obtained from the experiemental absorption profile k(Δν, T) at high density of the radiating atoms. The temperature dependence of the absorption processes of Hg and Cd lines 253.65 and 326.1 nm, respectively perturbed by inert gases (Xe, Kr, Ar and Ne) had been carefully studied over a wide spectral range. Using the point of the maximum temperature dependence Δνm in each case, we are able to calculate the position of the ground state potential Rm using a simple formula.