CH110 Study Guide - Final Guide: Quantum Electrodynamics, Quantum Field Theory, Dmitry Shirkov

61 views3 pages
1 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
The photon is one of the basic notions in quantum
electrodynamics. In quantum electrodynamics,
however, the photon is by no means a tiny particle. The
photon is an elementary excitation of the
electromagnetic field, the excitation that concerns the
whole of the volume occupied by the system in
question. Berestetskii et al. [7] underline that the wave
function of a photon does not altogether signify the
same thing as does the wave function of
2
an ordinary particle in quantum mechanics, and the
notion of coordinates of the photon has no physical
meaning at all (see also [8], Sec. 5c). According to
Bogoliubov and Shirkov [9], Sec. 6.2, by a particle in
quantum field theory is meant an excitation of an
oscillator, so that a nth excited state of the oscillator is
referred to by convention as a state with n particles, the
photons in our case. From [9] it follows as well that, in
a coordinate space, to the photon corresponds a plane
wave exp[i(ωtkx)] filling the overall volume of a big
cube V. Nowhere in quantum electrodynamics does one
resort to the concept of a point-like photon, and the
photon in quantum electrodynamics is a wave pure and
simple. In this connection Lamb [3] proposes to give
up the use of the word ‘photon’ that often leads to
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Unlock document

This preview shows page 1 of the document.
Unlock all 3 pages and 3 million more documents.

Already have an account? Log in

Document Summary

The photon is one of the basic notions in quantum electrodynamics. In quantum electrodynamics, however, the photon is by no means a tiny particle. The photon is an elementary excitation of the electromagnetic field, the excitation that concerns the whole of the volume occupied by the system in question. [7] underline that the wave function of a photon does not altogether signify the same thing as does the wave function of. 2 an ordinary particle in quantum mechanics, and the notion of coordinates of the photon has no physical meaning at all (see also [8], sec. In this connection lamb [3] proposes to give up the use of the word photon" that often leads to confusion. An adequate terminology is always useful, of course, while a more important point emerges from the foregoing. The question of another sort arises in connection with the concept of the photon.

Get access

Grade+20% off
$8 USD/m$10 USD/m
Billed $96 USD annually
Grade+
Homework Help
Study Guides
Textbook Solutions
Class Notes
Textbook Notes
Booster Class
40 Verified Answers

Related Documents

Related Questions