Relativistic corrections of m\alpha^6(m/M) order to the hyperfine structure of the H_2^+ molecular ion

TL;DR

This paper calculates relativistic corrections to the hyperfine structure of H_2^+ ions at a specific order, improving frequency measurement accuracy and aligning well with historical experimental data.

Contribution

It provides the first calculation of mα^6(m/M) order corrections to hyperfine splitting in H_2^+ ions, reducing theoretical uncertainties.

Findings

Uncertainty in hyperfine frequency intervals reduced to about 10 ppm

Results agree well with Jefferts' 1969 high-precision experiment

Enhances theoretical understanding of molecular hyperfine structure

Abstract

The m\alpha^6(m/M) order corrections to the hyperfine splitting in the H_2^+ ion are calculated. That allows to reduce uncertainty in the frequency intervals between hyperfine sublevels of a given rovibrational state to about 10 ppm. Results are in good agreement with the high precision experiment carried out by Jefferts in 1969.