The origin of the relativity theories was closely bound up with the development of electromagnetic concepts, a development that approached a coherent fieldtheoretical formulation, according to which all actions may vary in a continuous manner. In contrast, quantum theory arose out of the development of atomic concepts, a development that was characterized by the acknowledgment of a fundamental limitation to classical physical ideas when applied to atomic phenomena. This restriction was expressed in the so-called quantum postulate, which attributed to any atomic process an essential discontinuity that was symbolized by Planck's quantum of action. Quantum field theory (QFT) is a later phase of the conceptual developments of quantum theory, and has the old quantum theory and non-relativistic quantum mechanics, essentially the preliminary analyses of the interactions between atoms and radiation, as its predecessors. This chapter will review some features of quantum physics that are relevant to the rise of QFT. The quantization of motion In solving the problem of the equilibrium between matter and radiation, Max Planck (1900) showed that the laws of heat radiation demanded an element of discontinuity in the description of atomic processes. In the statistical behavior of atoms represented, in Planck's description, by linear resonators in their interactions with radiation, only states of vibration should be taken into account whose energy was an integral multiple of a quantum, hv , where h is Planck's constant and v is the frequency of the resonator. Planck himself believed that the discontinuity of energy was only a property of atoms, and was not ready to apply the idea of energy quantization to radiation itself.The origin of the relativity theories was closely bound up with the development of electromagnetic concepts, a development that approached a coherent fieldtheoretical formulation, according to which all actions may vary in a continuous manner. In contrast, quantum theory arose out of the development of atomic concepts, a development that was characterized by the acknowledgment of a fundamental limitation to classical physical ideas when applied to atomic phenomena. This restriction was expressed in the so-called quantum postulate, which attributed to any atomic process an essential discontinuity that was symbolized by Planck's quantum of action. Quantum field theory (QFT) is a later phase of the conceptual developments of quantum theory, and has the old quantum theory and non-relativistic quantum mechanics, essentially the preliminary analyses of the interactions between atoms and radiation, as its predecessors. This chapter will review some features of quantum physics that are relevant to the rise of QFT. The quantization of motion In solving the problem of the equilibrium between matter and radiation, Max Planck (1900) showed that the laws of heat radiation demanded an element of discontinuity in the description of atomic processes. In the statistical behavior of atoms represented, in Planck's description, by linear resonators in their interactions with radiation, only states of vibration should be taken into account whose energy was an integral multiple of a quantum, hv , where h is Planck's constant and v is the frequency of the resonator. Planck himself believed that the discontinuity of energy was only a property of atoms, and was not ready to apply the idea of energy quantization to radiation itself.

Cambridge University Press eBooksFeb 13, 19970 citations

An expansion of the master equation with applications to coupled atom-radiation systems

Edward R. Pike, S. Swain

A straightforward extension of time-dependent quantum-mechanical perturbation theory is made to obtain the equivalent formulae for a statistical mixture of states. The 'master equation' resulting from this procedure is, in its lowest order, the analogue in quantum statistics of the 'Golden Rule' for transition rates and reduces exactly to this form in the limit of pure initial states. The authors give results to fourth order and illustrate their use by applying them to the problem of the resonant interaction of an electromagnetic field and a two-level atom.A straightforward extension of time-dependent quantum-mechanical perturbation theory is made to obtain the equivalent formulae for a statistical mixture of states. The 'master equation' resulting from this procedure is, in its lowest order, the analogue in quantum statistics of the 'Golden Rule' for transition rates and reduces exactly to this form in the limit of pure initial states. The authors give results to fourth order and illustrate their use by applying them to the problem of the resonant interaction of an electromagnetic field and a two-level atom.

Journal of physics. A, Proceedings of the Physical Society. GeneralJul 1, 19704 citations

THEORY OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN ATOM AND RADIATION FIELD

WORLD SCIENTIFIC eBooksJul 1, 19980 citations

Coherent Spontaneous Emission

Rodolfo Bonifacio, Giuliano Preparata

Coherent spontaneous emission from a system of $N$ two-level atoms interacting with a quantized radiation field is treated for the case in which Dicke's "cooperation number" $r$ is macroscopically large. It is shown how to modify the quasiclassical approach to this problem to incorporate quantum effects that are lost in the self-consistent-field approximation. The statistics of the emitted radiation are found to vary markedly with the initial state of the system of atoms. The photon statistics tend to that typical of blackbody radiation when the initial state of the atomic system is that which would result from incoherent pumping ($m\ensuremath{\sim}r$). When, on the other hand, the atoms are initially in a superradiant state ($m\ensuremath{\ll}r$), the emitted radiation may be represented approximately by a coherent state.Coherent spontaneous emission from a system of $N$ two-level atoms interacting with a quantized radiation field is treated for the case in which Dicke's "cooperation number" $r$ is macroscopically large. It is shown how to modify the quasiclassical approach to this problem to incorporate quantum effects that are lost in the self-consistent-field approximation. The statistics of the emitted radiation are found to vary markedly with the initial state of the system of atoms. The photon statistics tend to that typical of blackbody radiation when the initial state of the atomic system is that which would result from incoherent pumping ($m\ensuremath{\sim}r$). When, on the other hand, the atoms are initially in a superradiant state ($m\ensuremath{\ll}r$), the emitted radiation may be represented approximately by a coherent state.

Physical Review AAug 1, 1970201 citations

Coherent spontaneous emission from a system of

N

two-level atoms interacting with a quantized radiation field is treated for the case in which Dicke's "cooperation number"

r

is macroscopically large. It is shown how to modify the quasiclassical approach to this problem to incorporate quantum effects that are lost in the self-consistent-field approximation. The statistics of the emitted radiation are found to vary markedly with the initial state of the system of atoms. The photon statistics tend to that typical of blackbody radiation when the initial state of the atomic system is that which would result from incoherent pumping ($m\ensuremath{\sim}r$). When, on the other hand, the atoms are initially in a superradiant state ($m\ensuremath{\ll}r$), the emitted radiation may be represented approximately by a coherent state.