Relativistic energy-consistent small-core lanthanide pseudopotential multireference configuration-interaction (MRCI) studies yield 15 bound states for ${\text{Ce}}^{-}$. These include twelve bound states with $5d$ attachment with the following electron affinities (in meV with corresponding $J$ in parentheses): 530 (7∕2), 421 (9∕2), 332 (7∕2), 276 (9∕2), 242 (9∕2), 229 (11∕2), 168 (5∕2), 101 (11∕2), 96 (7∕2), 84 (13∕2), 62 (3∕2), 18 (5∕2). The remaining three bound states result from $6p$ attachment with the following electron affinities: 156 (9∕2), 80 (5∕2), 8 (7∕2). Considering averaged coupled pair functional-type corrections to the MRCI value as well as possible finite basis set errors the final relativistic result for the electron affinity of Ce is $0.58\pm 0.1\text{eV}$. The present results are compared to experimental measurements, as well as to data from other theoretical calculations.

• Received 5 December 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.69.042508