Constraining Born\u2013Infeld-like nonlinear electrodynamics using hydrogen\u2019s ionization energy

Abstract

In this work, the hydrogen’s ionization energy was used to constrain the free parameter b of three Born–Infeld-like electrodynamics namely Born–Infeld itself, Logarithmic electrodynamics and Exponential electrodynamics. An analytical methodology capable of calculating the hydrogen ground state energy level correction for a generic nonlinear electrodynamics was developed. Using the experimental uncertainty in the ground state energy of the hydrogen atom, the bound b>5.37times 10^{20}Kfrac{V}{m}, where K=2, 4sqrt{2}/3 and sqrt{pi } for the Born–Infeld, Logarithmic and Exponential electrodynamics respectively, was established. In the particular case of Born–Infeld electrodynamics, the constraint found for b was compared with other constraints present in the literature.