A theoretical study of the low-lying states of Ti2 and Zr2

The low-lying states of Ti2 and the valence isoelectronic Zr2 are examined theoretically by means of a multireference configuration-interaction (MRCI) method. MRCI calculations demonstrate that two of the Zr2 states are very low-lying and that the resulting vertical excitation is consistent with the optical spectrum of Zr2. The ground state is predicted for Ti2 on the basis of valence correlation with the MRCI method and the average coupled-pair functional technique. Calculations of the inner-shell correlation effects are estimated and found to lower the 3Delta g state to a ground state, and another to a very low-lying state. The ground state of Ti2 is assigned to 3Delta g since it is lower than the other state at all levels of correlation and is derived from the same atomic asymptote. This conclusion is supported by the lack of an electron-spin resonance signal but contradicts the absence of subcomponents on the Raman spectral lines.