Nonvariational calculation of the relativistic, finite-size, and QED corrections for the 2 1S excited state of the helium atom

M. I. Haftel*, V. B. Mandelzweig

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Relativistic and QED corrections are calculated by using a direct solution of the Schrödinger equation for the 2 1S excited state of the helium atom obtained with the correlation-function hyperspherical-harmonic method. Our extremely accurate nonvariational results for relativistic, QED, and finite-size corrections coincide exactly (up to 0.000 03 cm-1) with the values obtained in precision variational calculations of Drake [Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 5, 2207 (1988)] and Baker, Hill, and Morgan [in Relativistic, Quantum Electrodynamic and Weak Interaction Effects in Atoms, edited by Walter Johnson, Peter Mohr, and Joseph Sucher, AIP Conf. Proc. No. 189 (AIP, New York, 1989), p. 123] for both infinite and finite nuclear masses. This confirms that a discrepancy of 0.0033 cm-1 between theory and experiment is not a result of an inaccuracy of variational wave functions, but is rooted in our inadequate knowledge of the QED operators. A better understanding of the different QED contributions to the operators (such as, for example, a more precise estimate of the Bethe logarithm) is therefore needed to explain the discrepancy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3338-3343
Number of pages6
JournalPhysical Review A
Volume49
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1994

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