arXiv subjects

A. V. Volotka

Publications and source records attributed to A. V. Volotka.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Axion-Exchange Contribution to the Energy of Lithium-Like Ions

Axions and axion-like particles are among the most promising candidates for dark matter and for manifestations of new physics beyond the Standard Model. In the present work, the contribution of axion exchange to the energy of lithium-like ions is investigated within the framework of relativistic bound-state quantum electrodynamics. A formalism for the interelectronic interaction mediated by axion exchange is developed in the Furry picture with finite nuclear size taken into account. Energy shifts are calculated for a wide range of nuclear charge numbers $Z$ and axion masses. The magnitude of the axion-induced contribution is shown to increase with increasing $Z$ for all states considered. Based on the analysis of lithium-like bismuth, constraints on the axion-electron interaction parameters are obtained in the high-mass region. The results indicate that precision spectroscopy of highly charged ions is a promising tool for searches for new physics associated with the exchange of pseudoscalar bosons.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2026

Quadratic Zeeman effect in light boron-like ions

The quadratic Zeeman effect is calculated for the ground $^2P_{1/2}$ state of light boron-like ions in the range of nuclear-charge numbers $Z = 10-24$. The calculations are performed in the Furry picture using three models for the zeroth-order approximation potential: pure nuclear Coulomb potential and two effective screening potentials $-$ core-Hartree and Kohn-Sham. First-order perturbation-theory contributions are considered: the one-photon-exchange correction and the radiative corrections associated with the self-energy and vacuum-polarization diagrams. The dominant contributions from the self-energy diagrams are calculated within a rigorous QED approach. The vacuum polarization corrections are obtained within the electric-loop approximation in the leading order, which is given by the Uehling potential. As a result, theoretical predictions for the contribution of the quadratic Zeeman effect to the binding energy of the valence electron in the $^2P_{1/2}$ state are obtained. The results can be used for the analysis of high-precision $g$-factor and fine-structure splitting measurements in boron-like highly charged ions.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2026

Bound-electron self-energy calculations in Feynman and Coulomb gauges: detailed analysis

The energy correction associated with the self-energy diagram is the leading (in magnitude) and fundamental (in significance) contribution to the Lamb shift in highly charged ions. Conventional approaches to this correction rely on partial-wave expansions, which is a stumbling block limiting accuracy. To elucidate the issue, we perform a comprehensive comparative analysis of partial-wave-expansion convergence between two gauges: Feynman and Coulomb. Some tricks for improving the convergence are discussed as well.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2025

QED effects in quadratic Zeeman splitting in highly charged hydrogen-like ions

We present ab initio calculations of one-electron quantum electrodynamical corrections to the second-order Zeeman splitting for the $1s_{1/2}$, $2s_{1/2}$, and $2p_{1/2}$ states in highly charged hydrogen-like ions. The self-energy correction is evaluated using the rigorous QED approach. The vacuum polarization correction is evaluated within the electric-loop approximation. Calculations are performed for the wide range of nuclear charge number: $Z = 14 - 92$.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2025

Sturmian basis set for the Dirac equation with finite nuclear size: Application to polarizability, Zeeman and hyperfine splitting, and vacuum polarization

We investigate the application of the Sturmian basis set in relativistic atomic structure calculations. We propose a simple implementation of this approach and demonstrate its ability to provide various quantities for hydrogen-like ions, including binding energies, static dipole polarizability, $g$ factor, hyperfine splitting, and nuclear magnetic shielding. Finally, we calculate the all-order (Wichmann-Kroll) vacuum polarization charge density, which was a challenge for the finite-basis-set approach until recently. Comparison of the obtained results with the previously published numerical and analytical calculations is presented. All calculations are performed with the finite size of the nucleus and can in principle be extended to arbitrary binding potentials.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2025

$g$ factor of the $2p_j$ excited states in lithium-like ions

Relativistic calculations for the $g$ factor of the lowest excited states $2p_{1/2}$ and $2p_{3/2}$ of lithium-like ions over a wide range of the nuclear charge numbers $Z=10-92$ are presented. Interelectronic interaction is considered within the perturbation theory up to the second order. One-loop QED contributions are calculated to all orders in $αZ$. Leading contributions of the nuclear recoil effects are taken into account. The quadratic and cubic terms in magnetic field are considered as well. A set of screening potentials is used in all calculations to estimate the unknown higher-order correlation effects.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2024

Vacuum polarization and Wichmann-Kroll correction in the finite basis set approximation

The finite basis set method is commonly used to calculate atomic spectra, including QED contributions such as bound-electron self-energy. Still, it remains problematic and underexplored for vacuum-polarization calculations. We fill this gap by trying this approach in its application to the calculation of the vacuum-polarization charge density and the Wichmann-Kroll correction to the electron binding energy in a hydrogen-like ion. We study the convergence of the method with different types and sizes of basis sets. We cross-check our results for the Wichmann-Kroll correction by direct integration of the Green's function. As a relevant example, we consider several heavy hydrogen-like ions and evaluate the vacuum polarization correction for $S$ and $P$ electron orbitals.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2024

Conversion of twistedness from light to atoms

We develop a simple model and propose a scheme that allows the production of twisted atoms in free space using the absorption of twisted photons by a bound electron. We show that in the inelastic collision of a photon and an atom, the twisted state of the photon is transferred to the center-of-mass state, so that the projection of the orbital momentum of the atom becomes $m_γ-Δm_e$. We also show that, depending on the experimental conditions, the twistedness of the photon is either transferred to the atomic center-of-mass quantum state or modifies the selection rule for the bound electron transition. Proposed scheme is general and enables complex shaping of the atomic wavefront.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Theoretical consideration of a twisted atom

We investigate the twisted state of an atom and the possible effect of such a state on the properties of the photons emitted as a result of an electron transition in that atom. We first propose a framework for describing the twisted atomic state, and then explore possible differences in the nuclear recoil effects in the twisted atom compared to those in the plane-wave atom. We conclude that if the initial atomic state is twisted, then the photon distribution is altered. We point out that in a certain observation scheme, one can detect a feature of this twist in the distribution of the emitted photons, even in zero order in $m/M$.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Excitation of the $^{229}$Th nucleus by the hole in the inner electronic shells

The $^{229}$Th nucleus has a long-lived isomeric state $A^*$ at 8.338(24) eV [Kraemer et al, Nature, \textbf{617}, 706 (2023)]. This state is connected to the ground state by an M1 transition. For a hydrogenlike Th ion in the $1s$ state the hyperfine structure splitting is about 0.7 eV. This means that the hyperfine interaction can mix the nuclear ground state with the isomeric state with a mixing coefficient $β$ about 0.03. If the electron is suddenly removed from this system, the nucleus will be left in the mixed state. The probability to find the nucleus in the isomeric state $A^*$ is equal to $β^2\sim 10^{-3}$. For the $2s$ state the effect is roughly two orders of magnitude smaller. An atom with a hole in the $1s$ or $2s$ shell is similar to the hydrogenlike atom, only the hole has a short lifetime $τ$. After the hole is filled, there is a non-zero probability to find the nucleus in the $A^*$ state. Estimates of this probability are presented along with a discussion of possible experiments on Th-doped xenotime-type orthophosphate crystals and other broad band gap materials.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2023

Electron correlation effects on the $g$ factor of lithiumlike ions

We present the systematic QED treatment of the electron correlation effects on the $g$ factor of lithiumlike ions for the wide range of nuclear charge number $Z= 14$ -- $82$. The one- and two-photon exchange corrections are evaluated rigorously within the QED formalism. The electron-correlation contributions of the third and higher orders are accounted for within the Breit approximation employing the recursive perturbation theory. The calculations are performed in the framework of the extended Furry picture, i.e., with inclusion of the effective local screening potential in the zeroth-order approximation. In comparison to the previous theoretical calculations, the accuracy of the interelectronic-interaction contributions to the bound electron $g$ factor in lithiumlike ions is substantially improved.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

Polarization effects in the total rate of biharmonic $ω+ 3ω$ ionization of atoms

The total ionization rate of biharmonic ($ω+ 3ω$) ionization is studied within the independent particle approximation and the third order perturbation theory. Particular attention is paid to how the polarization of the biharmonic light field affects the total rate. The ratios of the biharmonic ionization rates for linearly and circularly polarized beams as well as for corotating and counterrotating elliptically polarized beams are analyzed, and how they depend on the beam parameters, such as photon frequency or phase between $ω$ and $3ω$ light beams. We show that the interference of the biharmonic ionization amplitudes determines the dominance of a particular beam polarization over another and that it can be controlled by an appropriate choice of beam parameters. Furthermore, we demonstrate our findings for the ionization of neon $L$ shell electrons.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

Redefined vacuum approach and gauge-invariant subsets in two-photon-exchange diagrams for a closed-shell system with a valence electron

The two-photon-exchange diagrams for atoms with single valence electrons are investigated. Calculation formulas are derived for an arbitrary state within the rigorous bound-state QED framework utilizing the redefined vacuum formalism. In contrast to other methods, the redefined vacuum approach enables the identification of eight gauge-invariant subsets and, thus, efficiently checks the consistency of the obtained results. The gauge invariance of found subsets is demonstrated both analytically (for an arbitrary state) as well as numerically for 2s, 2p1/2, and 2p3/2 valence electrons in Li-like ions. Identifying gauge-invariant subsets in the framework of the proposed approach opens a way to tackle more complex diagrams, e.g., three-photon exchange, where the fragmentation on simpler subsets is crucial for its successful calculation.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

QED approach to valence-hole excitation in closed shell systems

An ab initio QED approach to treat a valence-hole excitation in closed shell systems is developed in the framework of the two-time-Green function method. The derivation considers a redefinition of the vacuum state and its excitation as a valence-hole pair. The proper two-time Green function, whose spectral representation confirms the poles at valence-hole excitation energies is proposed. An contour integral formula which connects the energy corrections and the Green function is also presented. First-order corrections to the valence-hole excitation energy involving self-energy, vacuum polarization, and one-photon-exchange terms are explicitly derived in the redefined vacuum picture. Reduction to the usual vacuum electron propagators is given that agrees in the Breit approximation with the many-body perturbation theory expressions for the valence-hole excitation energy.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

Precise determination of the 2s22p5-2s2p6 transition energy in fluorine-like nickel utilizing a low-lying dielectronic resonance

High precision spectroscopy of the low-lying dielectronic resonances in fluorine-like nickel ions were determined by employing the merged electron-ion beam at the heavy-ion storage ring CSRm. The measured dielectronic resonances are identified by comparing with the most recent relativistic calculation utilizing the FAC code. The first resonance at about 86 meV due to the dielectronic recombination via (2s2p6[2S1/2]6s)J=1 intermediate state was recognized. The experimental determination of the resonance position at 86 meV reaches an uncertainty of 4 meV, which allows precise determination of the 2s22p5[2P3/2] - 2s2p6[2S1/2] transition energy. The Rydberg binding energy of the 6s electron in the (2s2p6[2S1/2]6s)J=1 state is calculated by the multi-configurational Dirac-HartreeFock and stabilization methods. The determined transition energies are 149.056(4)exp(10)theo and 149.032(4)exp(6)theo, respectively. Moreover, the transition energy has also been calculated by fully relativistic and ab initio approaches. Individual theoretical contributions are evaluated by employing the core-Hartree and Kohn-Sham screening potentials, respectively. High-order QED and correlation effects contribute prominently to the total transition energy. The present DR precision spectroscopy study at the CSRm paves the way for future precision measurements of atomic energy levels with heavier highly charged ions.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

Calculations of Delbrück scattering to all orders in $αZ$

We present a theoretical method to calculate Delbrück scattering amplitudes. Our formalism is based on the exact analytical Dirac-Coulomb Green's function and, therefore, accounts for the interaction of the virtual electron-positron pair with the nucleus to all orders, including the Coulomb corrections. The numerical convergence of our calculations is accelerated by solving the radial integrals that are involved analytically in the asymptotic region. Numerical results for the collision of photons with energies 102.2 keV and 255.5 keV with bare neon and lead nuclei are compared with the predictions of the lowest-order Born approximation. We find that our method can produce accurate results within a reasonable computation time and that the Coulomb corrections enhance the absolute value of the Delbrück amplitude by a few percent for the studied photon energies.

hep-th↗

arXiv2022

g Factor of Lithiumlike Silicon and Calcium: Resolving the Disagreement between Theory and Experiment

The bound-electron g factor is a stringent tool for tests of the Standard Model and the search for new physics. The comparison between an experiment on the g factor of lithiumlike silicon and the two recent theoretical values revealed the discrepancies of $1.7σ$ [D. A. Glazov $\textit{et al}$., Phys. Rev. Lett. $\textbf{123}$, 173001 (2019)] and $5.2σ$ [V. A. Yerokhin $\textit{et al}$., Phys. Rev. A $\textbf{102}$, 022815 (2020)]. To identify the reason for this disagreement, we accomplish large-scale high-precision computation of the interelectronic-interaction and many-electron QED corrections. The calculations are performed within the extended Furry picture of QED, and the dependence of the final values on the choice of the binding potential is carefully analyzed. As a result, we significantly improve the agreement between the theory and experiment for the g factor of lithiumlike silicon. We also report the most accurate theoretical prediction to date for lithiumlike calcium, which perfectly agrees with the experimental value.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2020

Enhanced polarization transfer to the characteristic $Lα$ x-ray lines near the nonlinear Cooper minimum of two-photon ionization

It has been shown that for nonlinear atomic ionization, transfer of the degree of circular polarization from incident to fluorescence light is maximum at the Cooper minimum (see Phys. Rev. A \textbf{100}, 011401(R) (2019)). Until the present, however, it is still a challenge to produce and detect circularly-polarized light at xuv and x-ray photon energies. We here show, that transfer of linear polarization is strongly enhanced at the Cooper minimum in two-photon ionization and can be readily detected using current free-electron laser facilities by measurements of the degree of linear polarization of the characteristic $Lα_1$ and $Lα_2$ lines. Two-photon ionization of $2p_{3/2}$ electron of tungsten atom is proposed to demonstrate the presented phenomena and realization of such experiment is discussed in detail.

physics.atom-ph↗