Fine Structure of Heliumlike Ions and Determination of the Fine Structure Constant

We report a calculation of the fine-structure splitting in light heliumlike atoms, which accounts for all quantum electrodynamical effects up to order alpha(5) Ry. For the helium atom, we resolve the previously reported disagreement between theory and experiment and determine the fine-structure constant with an accuracy of 31 ppb. The calculational results are extensively checked by comparison with the experimental data for different nuclear charges and by evaluation of the hydrogenic limit of individual corrections.