On the Quantum Electrodynamic Problem of Two Interacting Electrons

Abstract

The problem of interaction of two quasi-molecular electrons, being at an arbitrary distance from one another - near different atoms (nuclei), is solved. Interaction is considered as the second-order effect of the quantum electrodynamic perturbation theory in the coordinate representation. The successive account of a natural requirement of symmetry of the retardation factor, electronic spins and retardation effects of the relativistic interaction of two quasi-molecular electrons localised near various nuclei, leads to the occurrence of additional terms in the expression for the electron-electron interaction operator, in comparison with the standard Breit operator [G. Breit, Phys. Rev. V. 34, P. 553 (1929); V. 39, P. 616 (1932), A.I. Akhiezer and V.B. Berestetskii, Quantum Electrodynamics [in Russian] (2nd ed.), Nauka, Moscow, 1981].