Relativistic configuration-interaction calculations of n=2 triplet states of heliumlike ions

Testing quantum electrodynamics in extreme fields using helium-like uranium

Quantum electrodynamics (QED), the quantum field theory that describes the interaction between light and matter, is commonly regarded as the best-tested quantum theory in modern physics. However, this claim is mostly based on extremely precise studies performed in the domain of relatively low field strengths and light atoms and ions1-6. In the realm of very strong electromagnetic fields such as in the heaviest highly charged ions (with nuclear charge Z ≫ 1), QED calculations enter a qualitatively different, non-perturbative regime. Yet, the corresponding experimental studies are very challenging, and theoretical predictions are only partially tested. Here we present an experiment sensitive to higher-order QED effects and electron-electron interactions in the high-Z regime. This is achieved by using a multi-reference method based on Doppler-tuned X-ray emission from stored relativistic uranium ions with different charge states. The energy of the 1s1/22p3/2 J = 2 → 1s1/22s1/2 J = 1 intrashell transition in the heaviest two-electron ion (U90+) is obtained with an accuracy of 37 ppm. Furthermore, a comparison of uranium ions with different numbers of bound electrons enables us to disentangle and to test separately the one-electron higher-order QED effects and the bound electron-electron interaction terms without the uncertainty related to the nuclear radius. Moreover, our experimental result can discriminate between several state-of-the-art theoretical approaches and provides an important benchmark for calculations in the strong-field domain.

Collinear Laser Spectroscopy of Helium-like 11B3+

Collinear laser spectroscopy in the 1s2s3S1→1s2p3P0,2 transitions of helium-like 11B3+ was performed using the HITRAP beamline at the GSI Helmholtz Centre. The ions were produced in an electron beam ion source, extracted, and accelerated to a beam energy of 4 keV/q. Results agree with previous measurements within uncertainty. Thus, it was demonstrated that the metastable state in He-like ions is sufficiently populated to carry out collinear laser spectroscopy. The measurement is a pilot experiment for a series of measurements that will be performed at a dedicated collinear laser spectroscopy setup at TU Darmstadt with light helium-like ions.

Solution of the Dirac Coulomb equation for helium-like ions in the Poet-Temkin model

The Dirac-Coulomb equation for the helium atom is studied under the restrictions of the Poet-Temkin model which replaces the 1/r12 interaction by the simplified 1/r> form. The effective reduction in the dimensionality made it possible to obtain binding energies for the singlet and triplet states in this model problem with a relative precision from 10(-8) to 10(-10). The energies for the singlet state were consistent with a previous configuration interaction calculation [H. Tatewaki and Y. Watanabe, Chem. Phys. 389, 58 (2011)]. Manifestations of Brown-Ravenhall disease were noted at higher values of nuclear charge and ultimately limited the accuracy of the Poet-Temkin model energy. The energies from a no-pair configuration interaction (CI) calculation (the negative-energy states for the appropriate hydrogen-like ion were excluded from the CI expansion) were found to be different from the unrestricted B-spline calculation.

Precision measurement of the K-shell spectrum from highly charged xenon with an array of X-ray calorimeters

We present a measurement of the K-shell spectrum from highly charged xenon ions recorded with a high-energy x-ray calorimeter spectrometer array that can distinguish between various theories for the atomic structure of the two electron system. The array was designed to provide high resolution with high quantum efficiency in the 10-60 keV x-ray range which allows us to resolve blends that afflicted previous measurements. A precision of better than 2 eV was achieved in the measurement of the Xe52+ and Xe53+ K-shell transitions located near 31 keV, which is an order of magnitude better than previously reported.

Multiplet calculations of L(2,3) x-ray absorption near-edge structures for 3d transition-metal compounds

The purpose of this work is to compare the two different procedures to calculate the L(2,3) x-ray absorption spectra of transition-metal compounds: (1) the semi-empirical charge transfer multiplet (CTM) approach and (2) the ab initio configuration-interaction (CI) method based on molecular orbitals. We mainly focused on the difference in the treatment of ligand field effects and the charge transfer effects in the two methods. The reduction of multiplet interactions due to the solid state effects has been found by the ab initio CI approach. We have also found that the mixing between the original and the charge transferred configurations obtained by the ab initio CI approach is smaller than that obtained by the CTM approach, since charge transfer through the covalent bonding between metal and ligand atoms has been included by taking the molecular orbitals as the basis functions.

Improved measurement of the 1s2s 1S0-1s2p 3P1 interval in heliumlike silicon

Using colinear fast-beam laser spectroscopy with copropagating and counter-propagating beams we have measured the 1s2s 1S0-1s2p 3P1 intercombination interval in 28Si12+ with the result 7230.585(6) cm{-1}. The experiment made use of a dual-wavelength, high-finesse, power build-up cavity excited by single-frequency lasers at 1319 and 1450 nm. The result will provide a precision test of ab initio relativistic many-body atomic theory at moderate Z.

Simple and accurate sum rules for highly relativistic systems

In this paper, I consider the Bethe and Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn sum rules, which together form the foundation of Bethe's theory of energy loss from fast charged particles to matter. For nonrelativistic target systems, the use of closure leads directly to simple expressions for these quantities. In the case of relativistic systems, on the other hand, the calculation of sum rules is fraught with difficulties. Various perturbative approaches have been used over the years to obtain relativistic corrections, but these methods fail badly when the system in question is very strongly bound. Here, I present an approach that leads to relatively simple expressions yielding accurate sums, even for highly relativistic many-electron systems. I also offer an explanation for the difference between relativistic and nonrelativistic sum rules in terms of the Zitterbewegung of the electrons.

Electron-electron interaction in strong electromagnetic fields: the two-electron contribution to the ground-state energy in He-like uranium

Radiative recombination transitions into the ground state of cooled bare and hydrogenlike uranium ions were measured at the storage ring ESR. By comparing the corresponding x-ray centroid energies, this technique allows for a direct measurement of the electron-electron contribution to the ionization potential in the heaviest He-like ions. For the two-electron contribution to the ionization potential of He-like uranium we obtain a value of 2248+/-9 eV. This represents the most accurate determination of two-electron effects in the domain of high-Z He-like ions, and the accuracy reaches already the size of the specific two-electron radiative QED corrections.

Measurement of the 1s2s 1S0-1s2p 3P1 intercombination interval in helium-like silicon

Using Doppler-tuned fast-beam laser spectroscopy the 1s2s 1S0-1s2p 3P1 intercombination interval in 28Si12+ has been measured to be 7230.5(2) cm(-1). The experiment made use of a single-frequency Nd:YAG (1.319 microm) laser and a high-finesse optical buildup cavity. The result provides a precision test of modern relativistic and QED atomic theory.