Effects of correlation, relativity, quantum electrodynamics, nuclear size and parity non-conservation in alkali atoms and alkali-like ions

摘要

The present review briefly presents the growing experimental as well as theoretical interests in recent years in the effects of (1) correlation, (2) relativity, (3) quantum electrodynamic (QED), (4) finite nuclear size (FNS) and (5) parity non-conservation (PNC) on the high precision electronic structure of alkali atoms and alkali-like ions. Many high precision experiments have been performed which need very high accurate theoretical prediction for correct interpretation and identification of different physical effects involved. Some experiments separate these effects and some do not. Several sophisticated theoretical techniques have been developed for corrections of these effects which play an extremely important role in order to obtain results of high accuracy to well below 1% level and to understand experimental observations of high precision. Correlation, relativity and finite nuclear size effects have been treated on an equal footing in some theoretical methods but QED and PNC have been calculated separately. At present, there is no theory which accounts all five effects in a coherent and unified manner. Future challenges and directions, in reliable structure calculations in atoms and ions, have been discussed and suggested. (author). 83 refs, 3 figs, 9 tabs. (Atomindex citation 26:039230)