Dissociative Recombination of K and Rb in Diode-Pumped Alkali Lasers: Potential Energy Curves and Atomic Products.

Dissociative recombination (DR) of K and Rb ions is one of the most important processes in K and Rb diode-pumped alkali lasers (DPALs) strongly affecting their power. We report on the calculations of potential energy curves of the K and Rb molecular ions and of the diabatic Σ, Σ, Δ, Δ, Π, Π, Φ, and Φ valence states of K and Rb that provide the routes for DR of the ions. These curves are required for subsequent calculations of DR rate constants.