Quantum field representation of photon-molecule interactions
Open accessAbstract
In reporting and explaining the interactions of light with atoms and molecules, a photon-based description is not only appropriate but clearly essential when electronic or other kinds of quantum transition ensue. However, textbook treatments frequently go no further than the Planck relation, in representing the quantum nature of the light itself—often resorting to classical principles when discussing mechanism. Complete consistency and rigour can be achieved by treating both the matter and the radiation in a fully quantised form, which requires the electromagnetic fields to be cast in a quantum field representation. It proves possible to develop a rigorous approach to this theory that is simple to convey and apply, and which lends itself to a significantly enhanced level of appreciation of mechanism. This paper lays a concise foundation and exemplifies the application in three specific cases: absorption, emission and scattering. It is also shown how this formulation affords a basis for applications in higher-order, multiphoton and nonlinear optical processes.
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References 36 · Cited by 8
Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Andrews D L and Allcock P 2002 Optical Harmonics in Molecular Systems (Weinheim: Wiley-VCH)
- Scully M O and Zubairy M S 1997 Quantum Optics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
- Ficek Z and Wahiddin M R 2016 Quantum Optics for Beginners (Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press)
- Stokes A 2016 Quantum optical dipole radiation fields Eur. J. Phys. 37 034001 · DOI
- Andrews D L and Bradshaw D S 2018 Introduction to Photon Science and Technology (Bellingham, WA: SPIE Press)
- Authors
- Bradshaw, D. S., Forbes, K. A., & Andrews, D. L.
- Affiliations
- University of East Anglia (GB)
- Venue
- European Journal of Physics
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2020-02-18
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 025406
- ISSN
- 0143-0807 (ISSN-L)
- 1361-6404
- OpenAlex
- W3003868889
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 0.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- European Journal of Physics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Leverhulme Trust (ECF-2019-398)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum optics and atomic interactions
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications
- Keywords
- quantized electromagnetic field, light-matter interaction, absorption, emissions, scattering, multiphoton processes, nonlinear optics, Planck relation, quantum transitions
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