Comparison of Quantum and Classical Local-field Effects on Two-Level Atoms in a Dielectric

dc.creatorCrenshaw, Michael E.
dc.date2008-05-14
dc.date2009-02-11
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T12:39:42Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T12:39:42Z
dc.descriptionThe macroscopic quantum theory of the electromagnetic field in a dielectric medium interacting with a dense collection of embedded two-level atoms fails to reproduce a result that is obtained from an application of the classical Lorentz local-field condition. Specifically, macroscopic quantum electrodynamics predicts that the Lorentz redshift of the resonance frequency of the atoms will be enhanced by a factor of the refractive index n of the host medium. However, an enhancement factor of (n*n+2)/3 is derived using the Bloembergen procedure in which the classical Lorentz local-field condition is applied to the optical Bloch equations. Both derivations are short and uncomplicated and are based on well-established physical theories, yet lead to contradictory results. Microscopic quantum electrodynamics confirms the classical local-field-based results. Then the application of macroscopic quantum electrodynamic theory to embedded atoms is proved false by a specific example in which both the correspondence principle and microscopic theory of quantum electrodynamics are violated.
dc.descriptionPublished version with rewritten abstract and introduction
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/0805.2134
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/0805.2134
dc.identifierPhysical Review A 78, 053827 (2008)
dc.identifierdoi:10.1103/PhysRevA.78.053827
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/219203
dc.subjectQuantum Physics
dc.titleComparison of Quantum and Classical Local-field Effects on Two-Level Atoms in a Dielectric
dc.typetext

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