The present status of quantum electrodynamics (QED) theory of heavy few-electron ions is reviewed. The theoretical results are compared with available experimental data. A special attention is focused on tests of QED at strong fields and on determination of the fundamental constants. A recent progress on calculations of the QED corrections to the parity nonconserving 6s-7s transition amplitude in neutral Cs is also discussed.
Recent progress in quantum electrodynamics (QED) calculations of highly charged ions is reviewed. The theoretical predictions for the binding energies, the hyperfine splittings, and the g factors are presented and compared with available experimental data. Special attention is paid to tests of bound-state QED at strong field regime. Future prospects for tests of QED at the strongest electric and magnetic fields as well as for determination of the fine structure constant and the nuclear magnetic moments with heavy ions are discussed.
We investigate how superpositions of motional coherent states naturally arise in the dynamics of a two-level trapped ion coupled to the quantized field inside a cavity. We extend our considerations including a more realistic set up where the cavity is not ideal and photons may leak through its mirrors. We found that a detection of a photon outside the cavity would leave the ion in a pure state. The statistics of the ionic state still keeps some interference effects that might be observed in the weak coupling regime.
Rigorous quantum electrodynamical calculation is presented for energy levels of the 1^1S, 2^1S, 2^3S, 2^1P_1, and 2^3P_{0,1,2} states of helium-like ions with the nuclear charge Z=3...12. The calculational approach accounts for all relativistic, quantum electrodynamical, and recoil effects up to orders mα^6 and m^2/Mα^5, thus advancing the previously reported theory of light helium-like ions by one order in α.
The nuclear recoil effect on the $g$ factor of H- and Li-like heavy ions is evaluated to all orders in $αZ$. The calculations include an approximate treatment of the nuclear size and the electron-electron interaction corrections to the recoil effect. As the result, the second largest contribution to the theoretical uncertainty of the $g$-factor values of $^{208}$Pb$^{79+}$ and $^{238}$U$^{89+}$ is strongly reduced. Special attention is paid to tests of the QED recoil effect on the $g$ factor in experiments with heavy ions. It is found that, while the QED recoil effect on the $g$-factor value i…
We perform a calculation of quantum electrodynamics effects in excited states with $l>1$ of arbitrary two-body systems up to $α^6\,μ$ order. The obtained results are valid for hadronic atoms, as long as the strong interaction effects are negligible. We demonstrate that for circular states with $l\sim n$, the effective expansion parameter is $Z\,α/n$, which extends the applicability of the derived formulas to heavy ions. Moreover, inclusion of higher-order terms is feasible, which indicates that accurate measurements of excited states of, for example, muonic or antiprotonic hydrogenic ions can …
QED theory of multiphoton cascade transitions in atoms and ions is developed. In particular the $ 3s\rightarrow1s+2γ$, $ 4s\rightarrow1s+2γ$ and $ 3p\rightarrow1s+3γ$ processes are considered. Two different approaches (Quantum Electrodynamical and phenomenological Quantum Mechanical) are applied.
We review a number of experiments and theoretical calculations on heavy ions and exotic atoms, which aim at providing informations on fundamental interactions. Among those are propositions of experiments for parity violation measurements in heavy ions and high-precision mesurements of He-like transition energies in highly charged ions. We also describe recent experiments on pionic atoms, that make use of highly-charged ion transitions to obtain accurate measurements of strong interaction shift and width.
We have investigated the correction to the hyperfine structure of heavy multicharged ions, which is connected with the nuclear-polarization effect caused by the unpaired bound electron. Numerical calculations are performed for hydrogenlike ions taking into account the dominant collective nuclear excitations. The correction defines the ultimate limit of precision in accurate theoretical predictions of the hyperfine-structure splittings.
The influence of nuclear polarization on the bound-electron $g$ factor in heavy hydrogenlike ions is investigated. Numerical calculations are performed for the K- and L-shell electrons taking into account the dominant virtual nuclear excitations. This determines the ultimate limit for tests of QED utilizing measurements of the bound-electron $g$ factor in highly charged ions.
We discuss the prospects for parity non-conservation experiments with highly charged heavy ions. Energy levels and parity mixing for heavy ions with two to five electrons are calculated. We investigate two-photon-transitions and the possibility to observe interference effects between weak-matrix elements and Stark matrix elements for periodic electric field configurations.
Recent theoretical investigations of pair-production probabilities for given sets of nuclear trajectories predict the observability of spontaneous positron emission in elastic collisions of heavy ions. These calculations are extended to the investigation of ratios $P_{y}(η)/P_{y}(1)$ for partial probabilities of positron emission at small positron energies. The results suggest a possible observability of spontaneous positron emission in elastic collisions of bare heavy ions by analyzing the slope of $P_{y}(η)/P_{y}(1)$ for values of $R_{min}$ $~_{\sim}\!\!\!\!^<$ 0.75 $R_{cr}$. In addition cal…
The validity of a delta-function approximation for the electromagnetic interaction of relativistic heavy ions is investigated. The production of e+e- pairs, with electron capture, is used as a test of the approximation.
Recent progress in the study of the photon emission from highly-charged heavy ions is reviewed. These investigations show that high-$Z$ ions provide a unique tool for improving the understanding of the electron-electron and electron-photon interaction in the presence of strong fields. Apart from the bound-state transitions, which are accurately described in the framework of Quantum Electrodynamics, much information has been obtained also from the radiative capture of (quasi-) free electrons by high-$Z$ ions. Many features in the observed spectra hereby confirm the inherently relativistic behav…
A rigorous evaluation of the complete gauge-invariant set of the screened one-loop QED corrections to the hyperfine structure and g factor in lithiumlike heavy ions is presented. The calculations are performed in both Feynman and Coulomb gauges for the virtual photon mediating the interelectronic interaction. As a result, the most accurate theoretical predictions for the specific difference between the hyperfine splitting values of H- and Li-like Bi ions as well as for the g factor of Li-like Pb ion are obtained.
We present a kinetic model for optical pumping in Lu$^+$ and Lr$^+$ ions as well as a theoretical approach to calculate the transport properties of Lu$^+$ in its ground $^1S_0$ and metastable $^3D_1$ states in helium background gas. Calculations of the initial ion state populations, the field and temperature dependence of the mobilities and diffusion coefficients, and the ion arrival time distributions demonstrate that the ground- and metastable-state ions can be collected and discriminated efficiently under realistic macroscopic conditions.
A systematic investigation of the nuclear-polarization effects in one- and few-electron heavy ions is presented. The nuclear-polarization corrections in the zeroth and first orders in $1/Z$ are evaluated to the binding energies, the hyperfine splitting, and the bound-electron g factor. It is shown, that the nuclear-polarization contributions can be substantially canceled simultaneously with the rigid nuclear corrections. This allows for new prospects for probing the QED effects in strong electromagnetic field and the determination of fundamental constants.
Accurate calculations of the binding energies, the hyperfine splitting, the bound-electron g-factor, and the parity nonconservation effects in heavy few-electron ions are considered. The calculations include the relativistic, quantum electrodynamic (QED), electron-correlation, and nuclear effects. The theoretical results are compared with available experimental data. A special attention is focused on tests of QED in a strong Coulomb field.
Based on a rigorous QED approach a theoretical analysis is performed for the two-photon transitions in heavy He-like ions. Special attention is paid to the interelectronic-interaction corrections to the decay rates that are taken into account within the two-time Green-function method. Detailed calculations are carried out for the two-photon transitions 2^1S_0 -> 1^1S_0 and 2^3S_1 -> 1^1S_0 in He-like ions within the range of nuclear numbers Z=28-92. The total decay rates together with the spectral distributions are given. The obtained results are compared with experimental values and previous …
The one-electron quantum-electrodynamic corrections to the magnetic-dipole transition amplitude between the fine-structure levels (1s^2 2s^2 2p) ^2P_3/2 - ^2P_1/2 in boronlike ions are calculated to all orders in (αZ). The results obtained serve for improving the theoretical accuracy of the lifetime of the (1s^2 2s^2 2p) ^2P_3/2 level in boronlike argon.
We investigate the parity nonconservation effect in the elastic scattering of polarized electrons on heavy He-like ions, being initially in the ground state. The enhancement of the parity violation is achieved by tuning the energy of the incident electron in resonance with quasidegenerate doubly-excited states of the corresponding Li-like ion. We consider two possible scenarios. In the first one we assume that the polarization of the scattered electron is measured, while in the second one it is not detected.
We have employed x-ray spectroscopy to probe the charge changing process only in the bulk of the foil when swift heavy ions pass through it. In contrast, the electromagnetic methods take into account integral effect of the charge changing process in the bulk as well as the charge exchange phenomenon at the surface of the foil. Thus, the difference between the mean charge states so measured from the two methods disentangles the charge exchange phenomenon at the surface from the charge changing process in the bulk and, provides opportunities to refine the understanding of ion-surface interaction…
The quantum electrodynamics (QED) corrections are directly incorporated into the most accurate treatment of the correlation corrections for ions with complex electronic structure of interest to metrology and tests of fundamental physics. We compared the performance of four different QED potentials for various systems to access the accuracy of QED calculations and to make prediction of highly charged ion properties urgently needed for planning future experiments. We find that all four potentials give consistent and reliable results for ions of interest. For the strongly bound electrons the nonl…
The parity nonconservation effect on the radiative recombination of electrons with heavy hydrogenlike ions is studied. Calculations are performed for the recombination into the $2^1S_0$ state of helium-like thorium and gadolinium, where, due to the near-degeneracy of the opposite-parity $2^1S_0$ and $2^3P_0$ states, the effect is strongly enhanced. Two scenarios for possible experiments are studied. In the first scenario, the electron beam is assumed to be fully polarized while the H-like ions are unpolarized and the polarization of the emitted photons is not detected. In the second scenario, …
Comparison of precision frequency measurements to quantum electrodynamics (QED) predictions for Rydberg states of hydrogen-like ions can yield information on values of fundamental constants and test theory. With the results of a calculation of a key QED contribution reported here, the uncertainty in the theory of the energy levels is reduced to a level where such a comparison can yield an improved value of the Rydberg constant.
A rigorous evaluation of the two-photon exchange corrections to the hyperfine structure in lithiumlike heavy ions is presented. As a result, the theoretical accuracy of the specific difference between the hyperfine splitting values of H- and Li-like Bi ions is significantly improved. This opens a possibility for the stringent test of the many-electron QED effects on a few percent level in the strongest electromagnetic field presently available in experiments.
We present extreme ultraviolet and visible spectra of promethiumlike tungsten and gold obtained with an electron beam ion trap (EBIT). Although the contributions from a few charge states are involved in the spectra, the charge state of the ion assigned to the observed lines is definitely identified by the time-of-flight analysis of the ions performed at the same time with the spectroscopic measurements. Experimental results are compared with collisional-radiative model calculations as well as previous experimental and theoretical studies.
Precision study of few-electron, high-$Z$ ions is a privileged field for probing high-field, bound-state quantum electrodynamics (BSQED). However, the accuracy of such tests is plagued by nuclear uncertainties, which are often larger than the BSQED effects under investigation. We propose an alternative method with exotic atoms, and show that transitions may be found between circular Rydberg states where nuclear contributions are vanishing while BSQED effects remain large. When probed with newly available quantum sensing detectors, these systems offer gains in sensitivity of \numrange{1}{2} ord…
The current status of tests of quantum electrodynamics with heavy ions is reviewed. The theoretical predictions for the Lamb shift and the hyperfine splitting in heavy ions are compared with available experimental data. Recent achievements and future prospects in studies of the $g$ factor with highly charged ions are also reported. These studies can provide precise determination of the fundamental constants and tests of QED within and beyond the Furry picture at the strong-coupling regime. Theoretical calculations of the electron-positron pair creation probabilities in low-energy heavy-ion col…
An exact solution of the two center time-dependent Dirac equation for pair production induced by ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions is presented. Cross sections to specific final states approach those of perturbation theory. Multiplicity rates are reduced from perturbation theory.
The two-photon decay of heavy, helium-like ions is investigated based on second-order perturbation theory and Dirac's relativistic equation. Special attention has been paid to the angular emission of the two photons, i.e., how the angular correlation function depends on the shell structure of the ions in their initial and final states. Moreover, the effects from the (electric and magnetic) non-dipole terms in the expansion of the electron-photon interaction are discussed. Detailed calculations have been carried out for the two-photon decay of the $1s2s \, ^1S_0$, $1s2s \, ^3S_1$ and $1s2p \, ^…
We investigate the parity nonconservation (PNC) effect in the dielectronic recombination (DR) of a polarized electron with a heavy He-like ion into doubly-excited $((1s 2p_{1/2})_{0} nκ)_{1/2}$ and $\left(\left(1s 2s\right)_{0} nκ\right)_{1/2}$ states of Li-like ion. We determine the nuclear charge number $Z$ for which these opposite-parity levels are near to cross and, therefore, the PNC effect will be significantly enhanced. Calculations are performed for quantum numbers $n \geq 4$ and $κ= \pm 1$.
Two-photon E1M1 transition rates are evaluated for heliumlike ions with nuclear charges in the range Z = 50-94. The two-photon rates modify previously published lifetimes/transition rates of 2 3P0 states. For isotopes with nuclear spin I not equal 0, where hyperfine quenching dominates the 2 3P0 decay, two-photon contributions are significant; for example, in heliumlike 187 Os the two-photon correction is 3% of the total rate. For isotopes with I= 0, where the 2 3P0 decay is unquenched, the E1M1 corrections are even more important reaching 60% for Z=94. Therefore, to aid in the interpretation …
The time-dependent Dirac equation can be solved exactly for ionization induced by ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions. Ionization calculations are carried out in such a framework for a number of representative ion-ion pairs. For each ion-ion pair, the computed cross section consists of two terms, a constant energy independent term and a term whose coefficient is ln(gamma). Scaled values of both terms are found to decrease with increasing Z of the nucleus that is ionized.
The hyperfine splitting in hydrogenlike $^{209}$Bi, $^{203}$Tl, and $^{205}$Tl is calculated with the nuclear magnetization determined from experimental data on the hyperfine splitting in the corresponding muonic atoms. The single-particle and configuration-mixing nuclear models are considered. The QED corrections are taken into account for both electronic and muonic atoms. The obtained results are compared with other calculations and with experiment.
Carbon stopping-power (SP) data for heavy ions (HIs), obtained around Bohr velocities, revealed remarkably lower values than those predicted by the SRIM/TRIM calculations/simulations. An attempt was made to extract the elastic (collisional) and inelastic (electronic) components from available SP data. A problem is that essentially total SP is measured in experiments, whereas electronic SP values, presented as the results, are obtained by the subtraction of the calculated collisional component values from the measured ones. At high HI reduced velocities (V/v0)/Z_HI^2/3 > 0.3 (V and v0 are HI an…
We present a theoretical investigation of the radiative recombination of twisted Bessel electrons with initially hydrogen-like (finally helium-like) heavy ions. In our study, we focus especially on the linear polarization of x-ray photons emitted in the electron capture into the ground $1s^2_{1/2}$ ionic state. Particular emphasis is placed on the question of how this polarization is affected if incident hydrogen-like ions are themselves spin-polarized. To explore such a "polarization transfer" we apply the density matrix theory and derive the Stokes parameters of recombination x-rays for the …
Measurements of energy separations in highly charged ions can in many cases nowadays be performed with very high accuracy, an accuracy that sometimes cannot be matched by the corresponding theoretical calcula- tions. Furthermore, it has recently been demonstrated that there is a systematic deviation between experimental and theoretical results for the K- alpha lines of medium-heavy heliumlike ions. We have during a number of years been developing a general procedure for energy-dependent perturbative calcu- lations, which opens up a unique possibility of incorporating the energy- dependent QED …
We investigate the resonant process of nuclear excitation by electron capture, in which a continuum electron is captured into a bound state of an ion with the simultaneous excitation of the nucleus. In order to derive the cross section a Feshbach projection operator formalism is introduced. Nuclear states and transitions are described by a nuclear collective model and making use of experimental data. Transition rates and total cross sections for NEEC followed by the radiative decay of the excited nucleus are calculated for various heavy ion collision systems.
We report on the observation of a strong perturbation of the electron gas induced by 20 MeV/u U$^{91+}$ ions and 13 MeV/u Pb$^{81+}$ ions channeled in silicon crystals. This collective response (wake effect) in-duces a shift of the continuum energy level by more than 100 eV, which is observed by means of Radiative Electron Capture into the K and L-shells of the projectiles. We also observe an increase of the REC probability by 20-50% relative to the probability in a non-perturbed electron gas. The energy shift is in agreement with calculations using the linear response theory, whereas the loca…
The shielding of the nuclear magnetic moment by the bound electron in hydrogen-like ions is calculated ab initio with inclusion of relativistic, nuclear, and quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects. The QED correction is evaluated to all orders in the nuclear binding strength parameter and, independently, to the first order in the expansion in this parameter. The results obtained lay the basis for the high-precision determination of nuclear magnetic dipole moments from measurements of the g-factor of hydrogen-like ions.
We investigate electron-correlation effects in the $g$-factor of the ground state of Li-like ions. Our calculations are performed within the nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics (NRQED) expansion up to two leading orders in the fine-structure constant $α$, $α^2$ and $α^3$. The dependence of the NRQED results on the nuclear charge number $Z$ is studied and the individual $1/Z$-expansion contributions are identified. Combining the obtained data with the results of the all-order (in $Zα$) calculations performed within the $1/Z$ expansion, we derive the unified theoretical predictions for the $…
The quantum electrodynamical theory of the three-photon transitions in hydrogen-like ions is presented. Emission probabilities of various three-photon decay channels for $ 2p_{3/2} $, $ 2p_{1/2} $ and $ 2s_{1/2} $ states are calculated for the nuclear charge $Z$ values $1\leqslant Z \leqslant 95$. The results are given in two different gauges. The fully relativistic three-photon decay rates of hydrogen-like ions with half-integer nuclear spin are given for transitions between fine structure components. The results can be applied to the tests of the Bose-Einstein statistics for the multiphoton …
Nuclear deformation effects on the binding energies in heavy ions are investigated. Approximate formulas for the nuclear-size correction and the isotope shift for deformed nuclei are derived. Combined with direct numerical evaluations, these formulas are employed to reanalyse experimental data on the nuclear-charge-distribution parameters in $^{238}\textrm{U}$ and to revise the nuclear-size corrections to the binding energies in H- and Li-like $^{238}\textrm{U}$. As a result, the theoretical uncertainties for the ground-state Lamb shift in $^{238}\textrm{U}^{91+}$ and for the $2p_{1/2}-2s$ tra…
The current status of bound state quantum electrodynamics calculations of transition energies for few-electron ions is reviewed. Evaluation of one and two body QED correction is presented, as well as methods to evaluate many-body effects that cannot beevaluated with present-day QED calculations. Experimental methods, their evolution over time, as well as progress in accuracy are presented. A detailed, quantitative, comparison between theory and experiment is presented for transition energies in few-electron ions. In particular the impact of the nuclear size correction on the quality of QED tes…
We report a calculation of the fine structure splitting in light helium-like atoms, which accounts for all quantum electrodynamical effects up to order α^5 Ry. For the helium atom, we resolve the previously reported disagreement between theory and experiment and determine the fine structure constant with an accuracy of 31 ppb. The calculational results are extensively checked by comparison with the experimental data for different nuclear charges and by evaluation of the hydrogenic limit of individual corrections.
In the present work, the calculations have been performed for dispersion interaction between heavy elements (Zn$^+$, Cd$^+$, Hg$^+$, Pb$^+$, Zn, Cd, Hg, and Pb) with graphene and carbon nanotubes by evaluating van der Waals $C_3$ coefficients using well-known Lifshitz theory. The dispersion coefficients are expressed in terms of reflection coefficients of graphene and carbon nanotubes which are calculated within the framework of Dirac model. In addition, accurate values of dynamic dipole polarizabilities at imaginary frequencies of considered ions and atoms which are vital, have been calculate…
The quantum electrodynamical theory of the two-photon transitions in hydrogenlike ions is presented. The emission probability for 2s1/2 -> 2E1+1s1/2 transitions is calculated and compared to the results of the previous calculations. The emission probabilities 2p12 -> E1E2+1s1/2 and 2p1/2 -> E1M1+1s1/2 are also calculated for the nuclear charge Z values 1-100. This is the first calculation of the two latter probabilities. The results are given in two different gauges.
The radiative recombination of a free electron into an excited state of a bare, high-Z ion is studied, together with its subsequent decay, within the framework of the density matrix theory and Dirac's relativistic equation. Special attention is paid to the polarization and angular correlations between the recombination and the decay photons. In order to perform a systematic analysis of these correlations the general expression for the double-differential recombination cross section is obtained by making use of the resonance approximation. Based on this expression, detailed computations for the…
Parity nonconservation (PNC) effect in recombination of a polarized electron with a heavy H-like ion in case of resonance with a doubly excited state of the corresponding He-like ion is studied. It is assumed that photons of the energy corresponding to the one-photon decay of the doubly excited state into the $2^1S_0$ or the $2^3P_0$ state are detected at a given angle with respect to the incident electron momentum. Calculations are performed for heliumlike thorium ($Z = 90$) and gadolinium ($Z = 64$), where the $2^1S_0$ and $2^3P_0$ levels are near to cross and, therefore, the PNC effect is s…
Stripping cross sections in nitrogen have been calculated using the classical trajectory approximation and the Born approximation of quantum mechanics for the outer shell electrons of 3.2GeV I$^{-}$ and Cs$^{+}$ ions. A large difference in cross section, up to a factor of six, calculated in quantum mechanics and classical mechanics, has been obtained. Because at such high velocities the Born approximation is well validated, the classical trajectory approach fails to correctly predict the stripping cross sections at high energies for electron orbitals with low ionization potential.
An exact solution of the time-dependent Dirac equation for ionization and pair production induced by ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions is presented. Exact transition probabilities, equivalent to those that would be obtained in an untruncated basis coupled channels calculation, are presented. Exact bound-electron positron pair production probabilities are calculated to be mostly smaller than those calculated with the same potential in perturbation theory at impact parameters small enough for differences to occur.
We present a theory for excitation of heavy hydrogen-like projectile-ions by light target-atoms in collisions where the momentum transfers to the atom are very large on the atomic scale. It is shown that in this process the electrons and the nucleus of the atom behave as (quasi-) free particles with respect to each other and that their motion is governed by the field of the nucleus of the ion. The effect of this field on the atomic particles can be crucial for the contribution to the excitation of the ion caused by the electrons of the atom. Due to comparatively very large nuclear mass, howeve…
The parity nonconservation (PNC) effect on the laser-induced 2^3S_1 - 2^1S_0 transition in heavy heliumlike ions is considered. A simple analytical formula for the PNC correction to the cross section is derived for the case, when the opposite-parity 2^1S_0 and 2^3P_0 states are almost degenerate and, therefore, the PNC effect is strongly enhanced. Numerical results are presented for heliumlike gadolinium and thorium, which seem most promising candidates for such kind of experiments. In both Gd and Th cases the photon energy required will be anticipated with a high-energy laser built at GSI. Al…
We recall how nearly half a century ago the proposal was made to explore the structure of the quantum vacuum using slow heavy-ion collisions. Pursuing this topic we review the foundational concept of spontaneous vacuum decay accompanied by observable positron emission in heavy-ion collisions and describe the related theoretical developments in strong fields QED.
We experimentally demonstrate cooling of trapped ions by collisions with co-trapped, higher mass neutral atoms. It is shown that the lighter $^{39}$K$^{+}$ ions, created by ionizing $^{39}$K atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT), when trapped in an ion trap and subsequently allowed to cool by collisions with ultracold, heavier $^{85}$Rb atoms in a MOT, exhibit a longer trap lifetime than without the localized $^{85}$Rb MOT atoms. A similar cooling of trapped $^{85}$Rb$^{+}$ ions by ultracold $^{133}$Cs atoms in a MOT is also demonstrated in a different experimental configuration to validate th…
