Fermionic corrections to the three-loop matching coefficient of the non-relativistic vector current

In this paper we consider the matching coefficient of the vector current between quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) to three-loop order in perturbation theory. We evaluate the fermionic corrections containing a closed massless fermion loop. The results are building blocks both for the bottom and top quark system at threshold. We explain in detail the methods used for the evaluation of the Feynman diagrams, classify the occurring master integrals and provide results for the latter. The numerical effects are significant. They have the tendency to improve the behaviour of the perturbative series-both for the bottom and top quark system. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.