Quantum Electrodynamic Corrections To Cyclotron States In A Penning Trap

Author

Ulrich D. Jentschura, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow
Christopher Moore

Abstract

We analyze the leading and higher-order quantum electrodynamic corrections to the energy levels for a single electron bound in a Penning trap, including the Bethe logarithm correction due to virtual excitations of the reference quantum cyclotron state. The effective coupling parameter αc in the Penning trap is identified as the square root of the ratio of the cyclotron frequency, converted to an energy via multiplication by the Planck constant, to the electron rest mass energy. We find a large, state-independent, logarithmic one-loop self-energy correction of order α α_c⁴mc²ln(α_c^-2), where m is the electron rest mass and c is the speed of light. Furthermore, we find a state-independent "trapped" Bethe logarithm. We also obtain a state-dependent higher-order logarithmic self-energy correction of order α α_c⁶mc²ln(α_c^-2). In the high-energy part of the bound-state self-energy, we need to consider terms with up to six magnetic interaction vertices inside the virtual photon loop.

Recommended Citation

U. D. Jentschura and C. Moore, "Quantum Electrodynamic Corrections To Cyclotron States In A Penning Trap," Physical Review D, vol. 108, no. 3, article no. 036004, American Physical Society, Aug 2023.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.108.036004

Department(s)

Physics

Publication Status

Open Access

Comments

National Science Foundation, Grant PHY–2110294

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

2470-0029; 2470-0010

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Final Version

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2023 American Physical Society, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Aug 2023