The generalized Breit operator of a long-range type in the framework of the second-order effects of quantum electrodynamics

Abstract

The problem of interaction of two quasimolecular electrons located at an arbitrary distance from each other and near different atoms (nuclei) is solved. The interaction is considered as a second-order effect of quantum electrodynamics in the coordinate representation. It is shown that a consistent account for the natural condition of the interaction symmetry with respect to both electrons leads to an additional contribution to the relativistic interaction of the two quasimolecular electrons compared with both the standard Breit operator and the generalized Breit operator known previously. The generalized Breit–Pauli operator and the operator of electric dipole–dipole interaction of two quasimolecular electrons located at an arbitrary distance from each other are obtained. Modern methods of accounting for the relativistic and correlative effects in the problem of ion–atom interactions are discussed.