Foundations of Radiation Theory and Quantum Electrodynamics

Foundations of Radiation Theory and Quantum Electrodynamics

Foundations of Radiation Theory and Quantum Electrodynamics Edited by A. O. Barnt University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

Main entry under title: Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Foundations of radiation theory and quantum electrodynamics. "Much of the material was presented at a recent symposium held at the University of Colorado in Boulder." Includes index. 1. Quantum electrodynamics. 2. Radiation. 1. Barut, Asim Orhan, 1926- QC680.F68 537.6 79-25715 ISBN 978-1-4757-0673-4 ISBN 978-1-4757-0671-0 (ebook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4757-0671-0 1980 Springer Science+Business Media New York Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1980 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher

Contributors A. O. Barut, Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado Iwo Bialynicki-Birula, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Warsaw University, Poland, and Department of Physics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Penns y I vania Timothy H. Boyer, Department of Physics, City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York Luiz Davidovich, Instituto de Fisica, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil J. H. Eberiy, Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, University of Colorado and National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colorado H. Grotch, Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania E. T. Jaynes, Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri E. Kazes, Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University., University Park, Pennsylvania Darryl Leiter, Code 660, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland Peter W. Milonni, Perkin-Elmer Corporation, Wilton, Connecticut KimbaU A. Milton, Department of Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California Michael Martin Nieto, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, New Mexico H. M. Nussenzveig, Instituto de Fisica, Universidade de Sao Pauio, Sao Pauio, Brazil E. A. Power, Department of Mathematics, University College London, London, England F. Rohrlich, Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York Marlan O. ScuUy, Department of Physics and Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona D. H. Sharp, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, New Mexico L. M. Simmons, Jr., Theoretical Division, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, New Mexico T. Thirunamachandran, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, England K. W6dkiewicz, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Warsaw University, Warsaw, Poland v

Preface Quantum theory originated in the study of the properties of electromagnetic radiation and of the interactions of electromagnetic radiation with matter. Yet these problems still dominate much of the work on the frontiers of research. New approaches to radiation theory help us to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying physical phenomena for which we still do not have a complete and closed theory and which may still bring new surprises. At the same time the scope and applications of radiation phenomena have increased enormously; whole new fields, such as quantum optics and laser physics, have developed, and the precision measurements possible with electromagnetic radiation abound in all areas of physics. We felt therefore that the time has come to look again at the foundations of radiation theory and to determine where we stand. We attempt here to collect in one volume various approaches to the problems of radiation theory, quantum electrodynamics, and electron theory. We hope that these contributions will help to elucidate the current status and problems of the field, provide reviews and syntheses, and serve as source material for references to the literature. Much of the material was presented at the recent symposium on the Foundations of Radiation Theory and Quantum Electrodynamics held at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The authors have, however, greatly expanded their contributions in such a way that this volume will be, we hope, of more permanent value. I should like to thank here our contributors for their efforts and enthusiasms. Boulder A.O. Barut vii

Contents 1. Classical and Quantum Theories of Radiation...................... 1 Peter W. Milonni 2. Unified View of Spontaneous Emission in Several Theories of Radiation...................................................... 23 J. H. Eberly 3. Quantum Beats... 37 E. T. Jaynes 4. On Quantum Beat Phenomena and the Internal Consistency of Semi classical Radiation Theories................................. 45 Marlan O. Scully 5. A Brief Survey of Stochastic Electrodynamics..................... 49 Timothy H. Boyer 6. A Canonical Transformation in Neoclassical Radiation Theory 65 E. A. Power and T. Thirunamachandran 7. Theory of Natural Line Shape................................... 83 Luiz Davidovich and H. M. Nussenzveig 8. Resonance Fluorescence and Spontaneous Emission as Tests of QED... 109 K. W6dkiewicz 9. Phase Representation of Intense Photon Beams and Its Applications 119 lwo Bialynicki-Birula 10. Radiation Reaction in Nonrelativistic Quantum Theory............. 127 D. H. Sharp 11. Heisenberg Equation of Motion Calculation of the Electron Self- Mass in Nonrelativistic Quantum Electrodynamics................. 143 H. Grotch and E. Kazes 12. Nonrelativistic Calculation of the Electron g Factor................ 149 H. Grotch and E. Kazes 13. Fundamental Physical Problems of Quantum Electrodynamics....... 155 F. Rohrlich 14. Electromagnetic Interactions beyond Quantum Electrodynamics..... 165 A. O. Barut IX

x Contents IS. Macroscopic Quantum Electrodynamics... 173 Kimball A. Milton 16. A Local Gauge-Invariant Formulation of Quantum Electrodynamics 183 D. H. Sharp 17. On a New, Finite, "Charge-Field" Formulation of Classical Electrodynamics... 195 Darryl Leiter 18. Analytic Coherent States for Generalized Potentials................ 203 Michael Martin Nieto and L. M. Simmons, Jr. INDEX... 219