Four-dimensional photon cavities

K. B. Wharton

doi:10.1117/12.758277

31 August 2007 Four-dimensional photon cavities

K. B. Wharton

Proceedings Volume 6664, The Nature of Light: What Are Photons?; 66640P (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.758277
Event: Optical Engineering + Applications, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The question "What is a photon?" motivates an analysis of the interface between quantum field theory and non-relativistic quantum mechanics (QM). Despite the predictive success of quantum field theory, it retains many non-relativistic concepts while throwing out the one aspect of QM that might give a spatially-well-defined answer to the original question. A novel approach to quantizing relativistic wavefunctions is then discussed, leading to an identification of the electromagnetic vector potential as a possible single-photon wavefunction. The key missing ingredient is a relativistically-correct measurement theory, in which a photon can be partially constrained/measured everywhere along a closed 3-D hypersurface in 4-D space-time.

Citation Download Citation

K. B. Wharton "Four-dimensional photon cavities", Proc. SPIE 6664, The Nature of Light: What Are Photons?, 66640P (31 August 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.758277

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