Lamb shift

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   A small difference between the energy levels 2S_½ and 2P_½ of the hydrogen atom, not…

   A small difference between the energy levels 2S_½ and 2P_½ of the hydrogen atom, not predicted by the Dirac equation, whose detection in the Lamb–Retherford experiment of 1947 foreshadowed the development of quantum electrodynamics (in which the discrepancy is explained to be an effect of the emission and re-absorption of virtual photons); such a difference between otherwise expectedly equal energy levels of hydrogen or any other type of atom.

   • Whilst I was there, I became interested in the possibility of measuring Lamb shifts in hydrogenic ions using radio-frequency spectroscopy (1) and laser spectroscopy as a means of testing quantum electrodynamics (QED).
   • The linear combination of the #92;textstyle 1S, #92;textstyle 2S and #92;textstyle 8D#95;#123;#92;frac 5 2#125; Lamb shifts obtained in this manner admits direct comparison with the Lamb shift theory without any further complications.

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