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Nonresonant Effects in One- and Two-Photon Transitions

Published

Author(s)

U Jentschura, Peter J. Mohr

Abstract

We investigate nonresonant contributions to Rayleigh scattering cross sections in atomic transitions. The problematic nonresonant contributions set a limit to the accuracy to which atomic spectra determine energy levels. Specifically, we show that off-resonant contributions for the 1S-2S two-photon transition in atomic hydrogen, which is the most accurately measured optical transition today, are negligible at current and projected levels of experimental accuracy. The possibility of a differential measurement for the detection of off-resonant effects in one-photon transitions in atomic hydrogen is discussed.
Citation
Canadian Journal of Physics
Volume
80
Issue
No. 6

Keywords

calculations and mathematical techniques, quantum electrodynamics

Citation

Jentschura, U. and Mohr, P. (2002), Nonresonant Effects in One- and Two-Photon Transitions, Canadian Journal of Physics (Accessed April 25, 2024)
Created June 1, 2002, Updated February 17, 2017