Quantization of the Electromagnetic Field and the Concept of Photon

Fabrizio Tafuri, C. A. Perroni, G. De Filippis

B. A. Veklenko

In a concise, but accessible for the first acquaintance form the procedure for the quantization of linear oscillator is set out. By analogy with this procedure the procedure of quantization (second quantization) of classical Maxwell’s electrodynamics is set up. The physical sense of the wave functions arguments of transverse electromagnetic field and its Fourier transformation is set up. One pay attention as for quantum coherent (almost a classic) states of the electromagnetic field and for photonics Fock states. Attention is drawn to the fact of absence the power of the universal content of such concepts as field amplitude, phase and number of particles (photons), which are used by experimenter’s to describe the states of a quantized field. The semi quantitative description the interaction processes of a quantum electromagnetic field with substance is set up. Specified situations are shown in which the discrepancy between the predictions of classical and quantum electrodynamics is noticeable at the macroscopic level.

Прохоров Лев Васильевич

Jean Louis Van Belle

This paper explores the common concept of a field and the quantization of fields. We do so by discussing the quantization of traveling fields using our photon model, and we also look at the quantization of fields in the context of a perpetual ring current in a superconductor. We then relate the discussion to the use of the (scalar and vector) potential in quantum physics and, finally, a brief discussion of Schrodinger’s wave equation which, we argue, just models the equations of motion of charged particles in static and/or dynamic electromagnetic fields – just what Dirac was looking for. We argue that the idea that Schrodinger’s equation may not be relativistically correct is based on an erroneous interpretation of the concept of the effective mass of an electron.

Stéphane Virally, Bertrand Reulet

Choosing the right first-quantization basis in quantum optics is critical for the interpretation of experimental results. The usual frequency basis is, for instance, inappropriate for short, subcycle waveforms. Deriving first quantization in the time domain shows that the electromagnetic field is not directly proportional, nor even causally related, to the photonic field (the amplitude probability of a photon detection). We derive the relation between the two and calculate the statistics of the electromagnetic field for specific states in the time domain, such as the single photon Fock state. We introduce the dual of the Hamiltonian in the time domain and extend the concept of quadratures to all first quantization bases.

Galina A. Nemova