Precision study of positronium and precision tests of the bound state QED

Abstract

Despite its very short lifetime positronium provides us with a number of accurate tests of the bound state QED. In this note a brief overview of QED theory and precision experiments on the spectrum and annihilation decay of the positronium atom is presented. Special attention is paid to the accuracy of theoretical predictions.

Comments: A talk presented at 9th International Workshop on Slow Positron Beam Techniques for Solids and Surfaces (SLOPOS), Dresden, 2001