In this paper, we briefly summarize the new information which have been deduced on the atom–atom interaction from cold atom experiments. These information are quite unusual and very interesting. Their interpretation is considerably simplified if high quality quantum chemistry calculations are available. After an overview of the domain, we discuss in detail the experiments performed with metastable helium atom, thus showing the variety of new data obtained in this case and the importance of quantum chemistry calculations for their interpretation.
doi: 10.1007/s00214-006-0105-5
View online : Theoretical Chemistry Accounts 116, 598-607 (2006)