Angular correlations in two-photon spectroscopy of hydrogen

In the present paper, we consider nonresonant corrections to $ 2s-ns/nd $ transition frequencies in hydrogen for the experiments based on two-photon spectroscopy. A detailed study of angular correlations of quantum interference effects within the framework of rigorous quantum electrodynamics is given. Closed expressions for the resonant two-photon scattering cross sections on an atomic level with dependence on all atomic quantum numbers including fine and hyperfine structure are derived. These expressions are applied for the description of experiments based on two-photon spectroscopy with fixing of incident (outgoing) photon polarizations. We demonstrate that for certain experimental geometry nonresonant corrections could be significant for the determination of Rydberg constant and proton charge radius.