Partial-wave mass renormalization in atomic QED calculations

A new approach to the implementation of a mass-renormalization procedure in the evaluation of self-energy corrections to atomic energy levels in many-electron systems is presented. A partial-wave expansion is adopted for the bound- and free-electron propagator functions. All divergent quantities are eliminated from the calculation without the use of regulating parameters, yielding a convergent series of contributions to the self-energy component of the Lamb shift. (orig.)