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The multi-configuration Dirac-Hartree-Fock method and active space approach are used to investigate the energy levels, hyperfine structure constants, and transition probabilities of a neutral silicon atom. The contributions of Breit interactions and quantum electrodynamics correction are considered. Compared with other theoretical and experimental values of energy levels, our values are in good agreement; the discrepancies of the majority of energy levels calculated are within 1% of experimental values, and the energy levels calculated are very close to other theoretical values. The number of energy levels we considered is larger than that of any other theoretical calculations. The values of the hyperfine structure constant A of the radioactive 29Si atom that we calculated are in good agreement with experimental values. From these results we can predict the hyperfine structure constant A of other states of 29Si where no other theoretical results are available. The transition probabilities of neutral silicon have also been calculated and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision study of few-electron, high-Z ions is a privileged field for probing high-field, bound-state quantum electrodynamics (BSQED). However, the accuracy of such tests is plagued by nuclear uncertainties, which are often larger than the BSQED effects under investigation. We propose an alternative method with exotic atoms and show that transitions may be found between circular Rydberg states where nuclear contributions are vanishing while BSQED effects remain large. When probed with newly available quantum sensing detectors, these systems offer gains in sensitivity of 1 to 2 orders of magnitude, while the mean electric field largely exceeds the Schwinger limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]