Repulsive state

In quantum mechanics, a repulsive state is an electronic state of a molecule for which there is no minimum in the potential energy. This means that the state is unstable and not bound since the potential energy smoothly decreases with the interatomic distance and the atoms repel one another. In such a state there are no discrete vibrational energy levels; instead, these levels form a continuum. This should not be confused with an excited state, which is a metastable electronic state containing a minimum in the potential energy, and may be short or long-lived.