Theory of the Lamb Shift in Hydrogen and Light Hydrogen-Like Ions
Abstract
Theoretical calculations of the Lamb shift provide the basis required for the determination of the Rydberg constant from spectroscopic measurements in hydrogen. The recent high-precision determination of the proton charge radius drastically reduced the uncertainty in the hydrogen Lamb shift originating from the proton size. As a result, the dominant theoretical uncertainty now comes from the two- and three-loop QED effects, which calls for further advances in their calculations. We review the present status of theoretical calculations of the Lamb shift in hydrogen and light hydrogen-like ions with the nuclear charge number up to $Z = 5$. Theoretical errors due to various effects are critically examined and estimated.
- Publication:
-
Annalen der Physik
- Pub Date:
- May 2019
- DOI:
- 10.1002/andp.201800324
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1809.00462
- Bibcode:
- 2019AnP...53100324Y
- Keywords:
-
- Physics - Atomic Physics
- E-Print:
- Annalen der Physik 531, 1800324 (2019)