The generalized Breit operator of the interaction between two quasimolecular electrons in the framework of the third-order effects of quantum electrodynamics

Abstract

The problem of the interaction of two quasimolecular electrons located at an arbitrary distance from each other and near different atoms (nuclei) is solved. Effects of the third order of quantum electrodynamics, which include the exchange of a virtual photon between the electrons and emission (absorption) of a real photon, are considered. The general expression for the matrix elements of the operator of the effective interaction energy of the two quasimolecular electrons with the external radiation field, which allows us to calculate the probabilities of inelastic processes with rearrangement in slow collisions of multiply-charged ions with relativistic atoms, is obtained. Carrying out consistently the procedure of symmetrization of the retardation factor with respect to both the electrons results in the appearance of additional terms in the relativistic operator of the interaction of two quasimolecular electrons in comparison with both the standard and generalized Breit operators known previously.