Proton Charge Radius from Lepton Scattering

Abstract

Protons are bound states of the strong interaction governed by Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Its charge radius ($r_{E}^{p}$) is an important quantity as it characterizes the spatial distribution of the proton's charge, which is carried by the quarks. On the other hand, the proton charge radius is an essential physical input for the bound-state Quantum Electrodynamic (QED) calculations for the hydrogen atomic energy levels. Nevertheless, the large discrepancy between $r_{E}^{p}$ measurements from muonic hydrogen spectroscopy, and those from $ep$ elastic scattering and ordinary hydrogen spectroscopy, have been puzzling physicists for over a decade. Tremendous efforts, in both theoretical and experimental sides, have been dedicated to providing various insights into this puzzle, yet certain issues still remain unresolved, particularly in the field of lepton scatterings. This review will focus on $r_{E}^{p}$ measurements using lepton scatterings, the recent theoretical and experimental developments in this field, as well as future experiments using this technique.