Fine Structure - Spin-orbit Coupling

Spin-orbit Coupling

The spin-orbit correction arises when we shift from the standard frame of reference (where the electron orbits the nucleus) into one where the electron is stationary and the nucleus instead orbits it. In this case the orbiting nucleus functions as an effective current loop, which in turn will generate a magnetic field. However, the electron itself has a magnetic moment due to its intrinsic angular momentum. The two magnetic vectors, and couple together so that there is a certain energy cost depending on their relative orientation. This gives rise to the energy correction of the form

Notice that there is a factor of 2, which comes from the relativistic calculation that changes back to the electron's frame from nucleus frame by Llewellyn Thomas. This factor also called the Thomas factor.

since

the expectation value for the Hamiltonian is:

Thus the order of magnitude for the spin-orbital coupling is .

Remark: On the (n,l,s)=(n,0,1/2) and (n,l,s)=(n,1,-1/2) energy level, which the fine structure said their level are the same. If we take the g-factor to be 2.0031904622, then, the calculated energy level will be different by using 2 as g-factor. Only using 2 as the g-factor, we can match the energy level in the 1st order approximation of the relativistic correction. When using the higher order approximation for the relativistic term, the 2.0031904622 g-factor may agree with each other. However, if we use the g-factor as 2.0031904622, the result does not agree with the formula, which included every effect.