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arXiv · 1107.3802

QED effects in molecules: test on rotational quantum states of H$_2$

E. J. Salumbides·G. D. Dickenson·T. I. Ivanov·W. Ubachs
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Abstract

Quantum electrodynamic effects have been systematically tested in the progression of rotational quantum states in the $X ^{1}Σ_{g}^{+}, v=0$ vibronic ground state of molecular hydrogen. High-precision Doppler-free spectroscopy of the $EF ^{1}Σ_{g}^{+} - X ^{1}Σ_{g}^{+}$ (0,0) band was performed with 0.005 cm$^{-1}$ accuracy on rotationally-hot H$_2$ (with rotational quantum states J up to 16). QED and relativistic contributions to rotational level energies as high as 0.13 cm$^{-1}$ are extracted, and are in perfect agreement with recent calculations of QED and high-order relativistic effects for the H$_2$ ground state.

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E. J. Salumbides, G. D. Dickenson, T. I. Ivanov, W. Ubachs. 2011-07-19. QED effects in molecules: test on rotational quantum states of H$_2$. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.107.043005

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