Local-photon model of the momentum of light

Waite, Gabriel; Hodgson, Daniel; Lang, Ben; Alapatt, Varghese; Beige, Almut

Abstract

Recently we introduced a local photon approach for modeling the quantized electromagnetic field in position space. Using this approach, we define the momentum of light in this paper as in quantum mechanics as the generator for spatial translation. Afterward, we analyze the momentum dynamics of photonic wave packets which transition from air into a denser dielectric medium. Our analysis shines new light onto the Abraham-Minkowski controversy, which highlights the intricacies involved in the characterization of the momentum of the electromagnetic field. Although our results align with Minkowski's theory and with the definition of the canonical momentum of light in quantum electrodynamics, there are also some crucial differences.

Citation

Waite, G., Hodgson, D., Lang, B., Alapatt, V., & Beige, A. (2025). Local-photon model of the momentum of light. Physical Review A, 111(2), Article 023703. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.111.023703

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 13, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Feb 5, 2025
• Publication Date: Feb 5, 2025
• Deposit Date: Feb 10, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 10, 2025
• Journal: Physical Review A
• Print ISSN: 2469-9926
• Electronic ISSN: 2469-9934
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 111
• Issue: 2
• Article Number: 023703
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.111.023703
• Keywords: Optical coherence; Optical materials & elements; Photonics; Quantum description of light-matter interaction
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/45161450
• Publisher URL: https://journals.aps.org/pra/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevA.111.023703