Ground state energy of large atoms in a self-generated magnetic field

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ground state energy of large atoms in a self-generated magnetic field

AU - Erdos, Laszlo

AU - Solovej, Jan Philip

PY - 2009/1

Y1 - 2009/1

N2 - We consider a large atom with nuclear charge Z described by non-relativistic quantum mechanics with classical or quantized electromagnetic field. We prove that the absolute ground state energy, allowing for minimizing over all possible self-generated electromagnetic fields, is given by the non-magnetic Thomas-Fermi theory to leading order in the simultaneous Z → ∞, α → 0 limit if Zα2 ≤ κ for some universal κ, where α is the fine structure constant.

AB - We consider a large atom with nuclear charge Z described by non-relativistic quantum mechanics with classical or quantized electromagnetic field. We prove that the absolute ground state energy, allowing for minimizing over all possible self-generated electromagnetic fields, is given by the non-magnetic Thomas-Fermi theory to leading order in the simultaneous Z → ∞, α → 0 limit if Zα2 ≤ κ for some universal κ, where α is the fine structure constant.

U2 - 10.1007/s00220-009-0869-2

DO - 10.1007/s00220-009-0869-2

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0010-3616

VL - 294

SP - 229

EP - 249

JO - Communications in Mathematical Physics

JF - Communications in Mathematical Physics

IS - 1

ER -