QED tests with highly-charged ions

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current state of bound state quantum electrodynamics calculations for few-electron ions, comparing theoretical predictions with experimental results and discussing the impact of nuclear size corrections on QED tests across different atomic numbers.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of QED calculations, experimental methods, and the comparison between theory and experiment for transition energies in few-electron ions, including nuclear size effects.

Findings

Quantitative comparison between theory and experiment for transition energies.

Impact of nuclear size correction on QED test accuracy.

Progress in experimental methods and their accuracy improvements.

Abstract

The current status of bound state quantum electrodynamics calculations of transition energies for few-electron ions is reviewed. Evaluation of one and two body QED correction is presented, as well as methods to evaluate many-body effects that cannot beevaluated with present-day QED calculations. Experimental methods, their evolution over time, as well as progress in accuracy are presented. A detailed, quantitative, comparison between theory and experiment is presented for transition energies in few-electron ions. In particular the impact of the nuclear size correction on the quality of QED tests as a function of the atomic number is discussed.The cases of hyperfine transition energies and of bound-electron Land{\'e} $g$-factor are also considered.