Positron binding to atomic zinc

The fixed-core stochastic variational method has been used to predict the existence of a Zne⁺ bound state with a binding energy of 0.001 425 Harttee and a 2γ annihilation rate of 0.248×10⁹ s^-1. The underlying validity of the model Hamiltonian was substantiated by predictions of the binding energies of Zn and Zn⁺. The convergence of the binding energy was very slow and further minimization of the energy was halted once a formal demonstration of binding had been achieved. The results of a single-positron model calculation of Zne⁺ taken in conjunction with an examination of the convergence pattern suggest that the true binding energy of the underlying model Hamiltonian is 0.0005-0.0010 Hartree larger than the quoted value.