Light-Front Hamiltonian Approach to the Bound-State Problem in Quantum Electrodynamics

Abstract

This dissertation presents the first theoretical investigation of the Lamb shift in a light-front hamiltonian approach: the dominant part of the splitting between the 2S(1/2) and 2P(1/2) energy levels in hydrogen is calculated. Also presented for the first time is an analytic calculation in a light-front hamiltonian approach of the singlet-triplet spin splitting in the ground state of positronium through fourth order in the fine-structure constant.

Comments: Ph.D. Dissertation at The Ohio State University, 149 pages (LaTeX2e)