QED calculation of the 2p fine structure in Li-like ions

Large-scale ab initio QED calculations are performed for the 2p(3/2)-2p(1/2) fine-structure interval of Li-like ions with nuclear charges Z = 5-92. Improved theoretical predictions are obtained by combining together two complementary theoretical methods, namely, the approach that accounts for all orders in the binding nuclear strength and the nonrelativistic QED approach that accounts for all orders in the nonrelativistic electron-electron interaction. The resulting unified approach provides theoretical predictions which are more accurate than the available experimental results across the interval of the nuclear charges considered.