Expand this Topic clickable element to expand a topic
Skip to content
Optica Publishing Group

Quantum Electrodynamics

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Abstract

The interaction of the quantized electromagnetic field with charged particles is discussed from the point of view of hole theory and of electron-positron theory. The analogy of the energy-band structure of the vacuum and a semiconductor is pointed out. The interaction is seen to lead to scattering and to pair creation and annihilation, but it also gives rise to self-interactions that can be described as a change in the mass and in the magnetic moment of the electron. The fact that the mass change is infinite comprises one of the fundamental inconsistencies of the theory. Finally, the occurrence of nonlinearities in the field equation results in the prediction of the scattering of light by light.

© 1953 Optical Society of America

Full Article  |  PDF Article
More Like This
Testing the photon–photon sector of quantum electrodynamics with free-electron lasers

W. Becker, J. K. McIver, and R. R. Schlicher
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 6(5) 1083-1089 (1989)

Quantum electrodynamics in modern optics and photonics: tutorial

David L. Andrews, David S. Bradshaw, Kayn A. Forbes, and A. Salam
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 37(4) 1153-1172 (2020)

Quantum electrodynamics of optical activity in birefringent crystals

D. Eimerl
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 5(7) 1453-1461 (1988)

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Equations (3)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Equations are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Select as filters


Select Topics Cancel
© Copyright 2024 | Optica Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved