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The photon, an abstract concept belonging to a global vacuum, only manifests itself duringinteraction with matter. Fundamentals of Photon Physics describes the richly faceted, basic theoryof photon-matter interaction, selecting a wide number of topics. Together with the author's bookLight -- The Physics of the Photon (CRC, 2014), both written on a scholarly level, the reader isgiven a comprehensive exposition of photon wave mechanics, quantum optics and quantumelectrodynamics (QED).Divided into 10 parts, the book begins by exploring the relation between photon wave mechanicsand quantum field theory. It then describes the theories of zero- and one-photon states andthat of bi-photons. After discussing conservation laws, Lagrangian formulations, geometricphase and topology, the author turns towards the theory of photon scattering, emphasizing adensity matrix operator approach and the role of microscopic extinction theorems. The booknext focuses on mesoscopic QED, devoting particular attention to collective jellium excitationsand photon-spin interactions. Special attention is given to the basics of the photon-magnoninteraction and nonlinear superconductor electrodynamics, including the nonlinear Meissnerrectification phenomenon, before studying the theory of transverse photons tied to (dressing)massive particles.The last three parts take the reader on a journey to topics usually not treated in books on photon-matter interaction. Beginning with photons in curved space-time structures and in spatiallycurved media, e.g. Möbius bands, the author discusses the extension of QED to the electro-weakinteraction at an introductory level. Fundamentals of Photon Physics ends with the establishmentof the set of isovector Maxwell equations in non-Abelian SO(3) gauge theory, leading tothe celebrated hedgehog monopole model.Ole Keller is professor emeritus of theoretical physics at Aalborg University, Denmark. He earned his Licentiate (∼ PhD) degree in semiconductor physics from the Danish Technical University in Copenhagen in 1972, and the Doctor of Science degree from the University of Aarhus (1996). In 1989 he was appointed as the first professor in physics at Aalborg University by Margrethe Den Anden, queen of Denmark. The same year he was admitted to Kraks Blaa Bog, a prestigious Danish biographical dictionary which (citatum) ”Includes men and women, whose life story could have an interest for a wider public”. He is a fellow of the Optical Society of America.He has written the books entitled Quantum Theory of Near-Field Electrodynamics (Springer, 2011) and LIGHT - The Physics of the Photon (CRC, 2014), as well as the monographs Local Fields in the Electrodynamics of Mesoscopic Media (Physics Reports, 1996) and On the Theory of Spatial Localization of Photons (Physics Reports, 2005). He is the editor of the books Nonlinear Optics in Solids (Springer, 1990), Studies in Classical and Quantum Nonlinear Optics (Nova Science, 1995) and Notions and Perspectives of Nonlinear Optics (World Scientific, 1996).In recent years he has carried out theoretical research in fundamental photon physics, microscopic few-photon diffraction, mesoscopic and Möbius band electrodynamics, and studied magnetic monopole theory based on QED and the isovector Maxwell equations in non-Abelian gauge symmetry.

This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the phenomenology surrounding high-energy particle interactions. When particles possess kinetic energy surpassing their rest energy, remarkable phenomena occur. Colliding particles at such high energies can lead to the creation of entirely new particles, illuminating the intricate workings of the universe. Through vivid explanations, this book elucidates the intricate processes that unfold during particle collisions. From proton collisions yielding pions and kaons to electron-positron collisions producing muons, each collision unveils a tapestry of particle interactions. Central to these interactions is the exchange of photons, which come in various forms. Among them are electromagnetic (EM) photons, akin to the light photons that bind electrons to protons within atoms. Then, there are the heavy bosons responsible for beta decay, crucial mediators of weak interactions that govern the decay of particles such as muons and pions. Additionally, there exist photons that bind quarks within protons and neutrons, facilitating the strong force that holds atomic nuclei together. In'High Energy Physics: A Level and Transition Approach,'we embark on a journey through the diverse array of particles and photons that orchestrate these interactions, shedding light on the fundamental forces shaping the fabric of our universe.

This book presents the proceedings of the XXV DAE-BRNS High Energy Physics (HEP) Symposium 2022, held at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, India. This proceeding marks the 25th edition. The latest results covering both the theoretical and the experimental aspects of the HEP research were presented under 10 broad topics ranging from Astroparticle and cosmology to Higgs and top quark physics, namely (1) article Astrophysics and Cosmology, (2) Beyond Standard Model Physics, (3) Formal Theory, (4) Detector Development Future Facilities and Experiments, (5) Relativistic Heavy-Ion Physics and QCD, (6) Higgs Physics, (7) Quark and Lepton Flavor Physics, (9) Societal Applications: Medical Physics, Imaging, and (10) Top Quark and EW Physics.

This thesis provides an in-depth investigation of effective non-Hermiticity and topology in many-mode, non-interacting, bosonic systems. It also establishes the extent to which one must move beyond the Hamiltonian, closed-system setting, in order to uncover signatures of genuine symmetry-protected topological (SPT) physics in'free'(mean-field) bosons. While SPT phases of free fermionic matter and their associated zero-energy boundary-localized modes have been thoroughly explored, similar physics in free bosonic systems still remains elusive. No fermionic counterpart exists for the distinctive dynamical behavior that arises from the effective non-Hermiticity, intrinsic even at equilibrium, to bosonic Hamiltonians. Therefore, a much needed paradigm shift is required to address major conceptual roadblocks in the search for SPT bosonic phases.The analysis within develops, in particular, the notion of topological metastability in quadratic bosonic systems subject to Markovian dissipation. The resulting dynamical paradigm was found to be characterized by both a sharp separation between transient and asymptotic dynamics and non-trivial topological invariants. It also features long-lived boundary-localized'Majorana boson'and'Dirac boson'modes, which realize tight bosonic analogues to the edge modes characteristic of fermionic SPT phases. This comprehensive look into non-interacting bosonic systems breaks important new ground for re-imagining quantum phenomena beyond equilibrium, with novel applications in quantum science.

In most undergraduate physics classes Special Relativity is taught from a simplistic point of view using Newtonian concepts rather than the relativistic way of thinking. This results in students often finding it difficult to understand properly the new approach/new ideas, and consequently to solve relativistic problems. Furthermore, a number of books treat the theory using advanced mathematics which is not necessary for the first approach to the theory. This book is intended to serve two roles: a. To treat a student in a systematic constructive way to the basic structure of the theory and b. To provide a large number of solved in-detail problems in the kinematics and dynamics of Special Relativity. Concerning the first aim the book introduces the basics of four-dimensional mathematics, i.e., Lorentz metric, relativistic tensors, and prepares, through working examples, the transition to General Relativity, which requires, besides the relativistic concepts, the use of Differential Geometry and tensor analysis. The presentation is concise and does not replace a book on Special Relativity. Concerning the second intention the large number of problems provides the necessary material which can be used in order to familiarize the student with the relativistic “world”. These problems can be used in the class by the teachers either as working examples or as problem sheets. It will be our pleasure if the book will be useful to both students and teachers.

This thesis develops a new approach to Fermi liquids based on the mathematical formalism of coadjoint orbits, allowing Landau's Fermi liquid theory to be recast in a simple and elegant way as a field theory. The theory of Fermi liquids is a cornerstone of condensed matter physics with many applications, but efforts to cast Landau's Fermi liquid theory in the modern language of effective field theory suffer from technical and conceptual difficulties: the Fermi surface seems to defy a simple effective field theory description. This thesis reviews the recently-developed formalism for Fermi liquids that exploits an underlying structure described by the group of canonical transformations of a single particle phase space. This infinite-dimensional group governs the space of states of zero temperature Fermi liquids and allows one to write down a nonlinear, bosonized action that reproduces Landau's kinetic theory in the classical limit. The thesis then describes how that Fermi liquid theory can essentially be thought of as a non-trivial representation of the Lie group of canonical transformations, bringing it within the fold of effective theories in many-body physics whose structure is determined by symmetries. After analyzing the benefits and limitations of this geometric formalism, pathways to extensions of the formalism to include superconducting and magnetic phases, as well as applications to the problem of non-Fermi liquids, are discussed. The thesis begins with a pedagogical review of Fermi liquid theory and concludes with a discussion on possible future directions for Fermi surface physics, and more broadly, the usefulness of diffeomorphism groups in condensed matter physics.

The fifth edition of this well-established, highly regarded two-volume set continues to provide a fundamental introduction to advanced particle physics while incorporating substantial new experimental results, especially in the areas of Higgs and top sector physics, as well as CP violation and neutrino oscillations. It offers an accessible and practical introduction to the three gauge theories comprising the Standard Model of particle physics: quantum electrodynamics (QED), quantum chromodynamics (QCD), and the Glashow-Salam-Weinberg (GSW) electroweak theory.Volume 1 of this updated edition provides a broad introduction to the first of these theories, QED. The book begins with self-contained presentations of relativistic quantum mechanics and electromagnetism as a gauge theory. Lorentz transformations, discrete symmetries, and Majorana fermions are covered. A unique feature is the elementary introduction to quantum field theory, leading in easy stages to covariant perturbation theory and Feynman graphs, thereby establishing a firm foundation for the formal and conceptual framework upon which the subsequent development of the three quantum gauge field theories of the Standard Model is based. Detailed tree-level calculations of physical processes in QED are presented, followed by an elementary treatment of one-loop renormalization of a model scalar field theory, and then by the realistic case of QED. The text includes updates on nucleon structure functions and the status of QED, in particular the precision tests provided by the anomalous magnetic moments of the electron and muon.The authors discuss the main conceptual points of the theory, detail many practical calculations of physical quantities from first principles, and compare these quantitative predictions with experimental results, helping readers improve both their calculation skills and physical insight.Each volume should serve as a valuable handbook for students and researchers in advanced particle physics looking for an introduction to the Standard Model of particle physics.

This book covers a broad range of interdisciplinary topics, focusing on atoms and molecules in intense laser fields, excitation processes in intense laser fields, photonics and materials, high-order harmonics generation, XFEL, high-power lasers and their applications, and quantum computing. This seventeenth volume features contributions from world-renowned researchers on topics such as applications of attosecond and femtosecond laser pulses, coherence and dynamics in quantum systems, and applications of super-intense laser fields.The PUILS series delivers up-to-date reviews of progress in this emerging interdisciplinary research field, spanning atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science, which has been stimulated by the recent developments in ultrafast laser technologies. Each volume compiles peer-reviewed articles authored by researchers at the forefront of each of their own subfields of ultrafast intense laser science. Every chapter opens with an overview of the topics to be discussed, so that researchers unfamiliar with the subfield, especially graduate students, can grasp the importance and attractions of the research topic at hand; these are followed by reports of cutting-edge discoveries.

The laws of nature encompass the small, the large, the few, and the many. In this book, we are concerned with classical (i.e., not quantum) many-body systems, which refers to any microscopic or macroscopic system that contains a large number of interacting entities. The nearest-neighbor Ising model, originally developed in 1920 by Wilhelm Lenz, forms a cornerstone in our theoretical understanding of collective effects in classical many-body systems and is to date a paradigm in statistical physics. Despite its elegant and simplistic description, exact analytical results in dimensions equal and larger than two are difficult to obtain. Therefore, much work has been done to construct methods that allow for approximate, yet accurate, analytical solutions. One of these methods is the Bethe-Guggenheim approximation, originally developed independently by Hans Bethe and Edward Guggenheim in 1935. This approximation goes beyond the well-known mean field approximation and explicitly accounts for pair correlations between the spins in the Ising model. In this book, we embark on a journey to exploit the full capacity of the Bethe-Guggenheim approximation, in non-uniform and non-equilibrium settings. Throughout we unveil the non-trivial and a priori non-intuitive effects of pair correlations in the classical nearest-neighbor Ising model, which are taken into account in the Bethe-Guggenheim approximation and neglected in the mean field approximation.

This book describes the invariant nature of the relativistic quantum field theories utilizing the idea of interpolating the instant form dynamics and the light-front dynamics. While the light-front dynamics (LFD) based on the light-front time was proposed by Dirac in 1949, there has not yet been a salient review on the connection between the LFD and the instant form dynamics (IFD) based on the ordinary time. By reviewing the connection between LFD and IFD using the idea of interpolating the two different forms of the relativistic dynamics, one can learn the distinguished features of each form and how one may utilize those distinguished features in solving the complicated relativistic quantum field theoretic problems more effectively. With the ongoing 12-GeV Jefferson Lab experiments, the internal structures of the nucleon and nuclei are vigorously investigated in particular using the physical observables defined in the LFD rather than in the IFD. This book offers a clear demonstration on why and how the LFD is more advantageous than the IFD for the study of hadron physics, illustrating the differences and similarities between these two distinguished forms of the dynamics. It aims at presenting the basic first-hand knowledge of the relativistic quantum field theories, describing why and how the different forms of dynamics (e.g., IFD and LFD) can emerge in them, connecting the IFD and the LFD using the idea of the interpolation, and demonstrating explicit examples of the interpolation in quantum electrodynamics and other field theories. While the level of presentation is planned mainly for the advanced undergraduate students and the beginning graduate students, the topics of the interpolation between the IFD and the LFD are innovative enough for even the experts in the field to appreciate its usefulness.

This book investigates Lorentzian structures in the four-dimensional space-time, supplemented either by a covector field of the time-direction or by a scalar field of the global time. Furthermore, it proposes a new metrizable model of gravity. In contrast to the usual General Relativity theory, where all ten components of the symmetric pseudo-metric are independent variables, the gravity model presented here essentially depends only on a single four-covector field, and is restricted to have only three-independent components. However, the author proves that the gravitational field, governed by the proposed model and generated by some massive body, resting and spherically symmetric in some coordinate system, is given by a pseudo-metric that coincides with the well known Schwarzschild metric from General Relativity. The Maxwell equations and electrodynamics are also investigated in the framework of the proposed model. Inparticular, the covariant formulation of electrodynamics of moving dielectrics and para/diamagnetic media is derived.

This book is a pedagogical introduction to quantum field theory, suitable for a students'first exposure to the subject. It assumes a minimal amount of technical background and it is intended to be accessible to a wide audience including students of theoretical and experimental high energy physics, condensed matter, optical, atomic, nuclear and gravitational physics and astrophysics. It includes a thorough development of second quantization and the field theoretic approach to nonrelativistic many-body physics as a step in developing a broad-based working knowledge of the basic aspects of quantum field theory. It presents a logical and systematic first principles development of relativistic field theory and of functional techniques and perturbation theory with Feynman diagrams, renormalization, and basic computations in quantum electrodynamics.

This book is an English translation from a Hungarian book designed for graduate and postgraduate students about the use of variational principles in theoretical physics. Unlike many academic textbooks, it dashes across several lecture disciplines taught in physics courses. It emphasizes and demonstrates the use of the variational technique and philosophy behind the basic laws in mechanics, relativity theory, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics. The book is meant for advanced students and young researchers in theoretical physics but, also, more experienced researchers can benefit from its reading.

This book provides a clear understanding of quantum mechanics (QM) by developing it from fundamental postulates in an axiomatic manner, as its central theme. The target audience is physics students at master's level. It avoids historical developments, which are piecemeal, not logically well knitted, and may lead to misconceptions. Instead, in the present approach all of QM and all its rules are developed logically starting from the fundamental postulates only and no other assumptions.Specially noteworthy topics have been developed in a smooth contiguous fashion following the central theme. They provide a new approach to understanding QM. In most other texts, these are presented as disjoint separate topics. Since the reader may not be acquainted with advanced mathematical topics like linear vector space, a number of such topics have been presented as “mathematical preliminary.” Standard topics, viz. derivation of uncertainty relations, simple harmonic oscillator by operator method,bound systems in one and three dimensions, angular momentum, hydrogen-like atom, and scattering in one and three dimensions, are woven into the central theme.Advanced topics like approximation methods, spin and generalized angular momenta, addition of angular momenta, and relativistic quantum mechanics have been reserved for Volume II. ​

Absolute concepts of time and energy are integral to standard thermal physics, but background independent systems are devoid of them. This thesis explores the foundational question of generalising equilibrium statistical mechanics to background independent systems, and applies the resulting formulation to non-perturbative discrete quantum gravity. It offers a discussion of the rich interface of thermal physics and quantum gravity in this context, providing a broad contextualisation of such topics. This work details how standard tools from many-body physics can be generalised to discrete quantum gravity labelled with graph-based, or dual polyhedral, quanta that are common to various approaches like tensorial group field theory, loop quantum gravity, dynamical triangulations and lattice quantum gravity. It provides a systematic investigation, both conceptual and technical, of quantum gravitational Gibbs states, thermofield double vacuum states, and their application in condensate cosmology to probe questions of Big Bang singularity resolution and geometric inflation.

This thesis makes significant advances towards an understanding of superconductivity in the cuprate family of unconventional, high-temperature superconductors. Even though the high-temperature superconductors were discovered over 35 years ago, there is not yet a general consensus on an acceptable theory of superconductivity in these materials. One of the early proposals suggested that collective magnetic excitations of the conduction electrons could lead them to form pairs, which in turn condense to form the superconducting state at a critical temperature Tc. Quantitative calculations of Tc using experimental data were, however, not available to verify the applicability of this magnetic mechanism. In this thesis, the author constructed an angle-resolved photoemission apparatus that could provide sufficiently accurate data of the electronic excitation spectra of samples in the normal state, data which was furthermore unusually devoid of any surface contamination. The author also appliedthe Bethe-Salpeter method to his uncommonly pristine and precise normal state data, and was able to predict the approximate superconducting transition temperatures of different samples. This rare combination of experiment with sophisticated theoretical calculations leads to the conclusion that antiferromagnetic correlations are a viable candidate for the pairing interaction in the cuprate superconductors.

This textbook presents various methods to deal with quantum many-body systems, mainly addressing interacting electrons. It focusses on basic tools to tackle quantum effects in macroscopic systems of interacting particles, and on fundamental concepts to interpret the behavior of such systems as revealed by experiments.The textbook starts from simple concepts like second quantization, which allows one to include the indistinguishability and statistics of particles in a rather simple framework, and linear response theory. Then, it gradually moves towards more technical and advanced subjects, including recent developments in the field. The diagrammatic technique is comprehensively discussed. Some of the advanced topics include Landau's Fermi liquid theory, Luttinger liquids, the Kondo effect, and the Mott transition.The ultimate goal of the book is to gain comprehension of physical quantities that are routinely measured experimentally and fully characterize the system, therefore it is useful for graduate students but also young researchers studying and investigating the theoretical aspects of condensed matter physics.

This book introduces readers to a variety of topics surrounding quantum field theory, notably its role in bound states, laser physics, and the gravitational coupling of Dirac particles. It discusses some rather sophisticated concepts based on detailed derivations which cannot be found elsewhere in the literature.It is suitable for undergraduates, graduates, and researchers working on general relativity, relativistic atomic physics, quantum electrodynamics, as well as theoretical laser physics.

The structure of quantum theory permits interference of indistinguishable paths. At the same time, however, it also limits such interference to certain orders and any higher-order interference is prohibited. This thesis develops and studies concepts to test quantum theory with higher-order interference using many-particle correlations, the latter being generally richer and typically more subtle than single-particle correlations. It is demonstrated that quantum theory in general allows for interference up to order 2M in M-particle correlations. Depending on the mutual coherence of the particles, however, the related interference hierarchy can terminate earlier. In this thesis, we show that mutually coherent particles can exhibit interference of the highest orders allowed. We further demonstrate that interference of mutually incoherent particles truncates already at order M+1, although interference of the latter is principally more multifaceted than their coherent counterpart. We introduce two families of many-particle Sorkin parameters, whose members are expected to be all zero when quantum mechanics holds. As proof of concept, we demonstrate the disparate vanishing of such higher-order interference terms as a function of coherence in experiments with mutually coherent and incoherent sources. Finally, we investigate the influence of exotic kinked or looped quantum paths, which are permitted by Feynman's path integral approach, in such setups.

This book presents the better understanding of infrared structures of particle scattering processes in quantum electrodynamics (QED) in four-dimensional spacetime. An S-matrix is the fundamental quantity in scattering theory. However, if a theory involves massless particles, such as QED and gravity, the conventional S-matrix has not been well defined due to the infrared divergence, and infrared dynamics thus needs to be understood in-depth to figure out the S-matrix. The book begins with introducing fundamental nature of the charge conservation law associated with asymptotic symmetry, and explaining its relations to soft theorems and memory effect. Subsequently it looks into an appropriate asymptotic state of the S-matrix without infrared divergences. The Faddeev-Kulish dressed state is known as a candidate of such a state, and its gauge invariant condition and its relation to the asymptotic symmetry are discussed. It offers an important building blocks for constructing the S-matrix without infrared divergences.

This thesis presents several important aspects of the plasma dynamics in extremely high intensity electromagnetic fields when quantum electrodynamics effects have to be taken into account. This work is of utmost importance for the forthcoming generation of multipetawatt laser facilities where this physics will be tested. The first part consists of an introduction that extends from classical and quantum electrodynamics in strong fields to the kinetic description of plasmas in the interaction with such fields. This can be considered as an advanced tutorial which would be extremely useful to researchers and students new to the field. The second part describes original contributions on the analysis of the signatures of classical and quantum radiation reaction on the distribution function of the charged particles and of the photon spectrum, and leads to significant advances on this topic. These results are then extended to the analysis of the so-called QED cascades which are ofcentral importance for a better understanding of some astrophysical phenomena and basic physics problems. Finally, the book discusses future directions for the high intensity laser–plasma interaction community. The results presented in this thesis are expected to become more and more relevant as the new multipetawatt facilities become operative.

This book provides an overview on transport theories, focusing on applications and the relativistic off-shell transport theory which are of particular interest for physicists working in the field of relativistic strong-interaction physics, e.g. relativistic or ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions or the evolution of the early universe. In this regard, a thorough derivation of the transport equations and a careful analysis of the approximations employed is given. The text is enriched with a multitude of Appendices that partly recall elements of quantum mechanics and field theory or present examples for specific models. Specific exercises are given throughout the chapters. As a basic knowledge the reader should be familiar with quantum mechanics and its principles as well as some basic concepts of the quantum many-body physics and field theory. All chapters close with a short summary and numerical calculations are provided to master and illustrate the subject.

Confinement and manipulation of photons using microcavities have triggered intense research interest in both basic and applied physics for more than a decade. Prominent examples are whispering gallery microcavities which confine photons by means of continuous total internal reflection along a curved and smooth surface. The long photon lifetime, strong field confinement, and in-plane emission characteristics make them promising candidates for enhancing light-matter interactions on a chip. In this book, we will introduce different ultra-high-Q whispering gallery microcavities, and focus on their applications in enhancing light-matter interaction, such as ultralow-threshold microlasing, highly sensitive optical biosensing, nonlinear optics, cavity quantum electrodynamics and cavity optomechanics.

The natural generalization of the quantum-mechanical N-particle wave function to relativistic space-time is a function of N space-time points, and thus of N time variables. This book, based on a collection of lectures given at a spring school in Tübingen in 2019, provides an accessible and concise introduction to the recent development of the theory of multi-time wave functions, their use in quantum field theory, their relation to detection probabilities, and the mathematical question of consistency of their time evolution equations. The book is intended for advanced students and researchers with an interest in relativity and quantum physics.

Der Autor legt den Schwerpunkt auf eine moderne Darstellung des komplexen Themas und behandelt ausführlich Renormierungstheorie, Renormierungsgruppengleichung und Entkopplung schwerer Teilchen. Das Konzept des Quantenfeldes wird über die Quantisierung freier Felder eingeführt, wobei das Werk Teilchen der Quantenfeldelektrodynamik deutlich von Punktteilchen der klassischen Mechanik abgrenzt.

Walter Greiner (1935-2016) was a German physicist of the Goethe University, Frankfurt, well-known for his many contributions in scientific research and developments, in particular the field of nuclear physics. He was a well-respected science leader and a teacher who had supervised batches of young collaborators and students, many of whom are now leaders in both academics and industry worldwide. Greiner had a wide interest of science which covered atomic physics, heavy-ion physics, and nuclear astrophysics. Greiner co-founded GSI, the Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, and the multi-disciplinary research center, FIAS (Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies). Besides numerous professorship with universities worldwide, including the University of Maryland, Greiner received many prestigious prizes in honor of his outstanding contributions, among others are the Otto Hahn Prize and the Max Born Prize.This memorial volume is a special tribute by Greiner's former colleagues, students, and friends honoring his contributions and passion in science. The volume begins with a writing by Greiner about his early days in science. The subsequent articles, comprising personal and scientific reminiscences of Walter Greiner, serve as timely reviews on various topics of current interest.

This book develops a methodology for the real-time coupled quantum dynamics of electrons and phonons in nanostructures, both isolated structures and those open to an environment. It then applies this technique to both fundamental and practical problems that are relevant, in particular, to nanodevice physics, laser–matter interaction, and radiation damage in living tissue.The interaction between electrons and atomic vibrations (phonons) is an example of how a process at the heart of quantum dynamics can impact our everyday lives. This is e.g. how electrical current generates heat, making your toaster work. It is also a key process behind many crucial problems down to the atomic and molecular scale, such as the functionality of nanoscale electronic devices, the relaxation of photo-excited systems, the energetics of systems under irradiation, and thermoelectric effects. Electron–phonon interactions represent a difficult many-body problem. Fairly standard techniques are available for tackling cases in which one of the two subsystems can be treated as a steady-state bath for the other, but determining the simultaneous coupled dynamics of the two poses a real challenge. This book tackles precisely this problem.

This thesis presents and discusses recent optical low-temperature experiments on disordered NbN, granular Al thin-films, and the heavy-fermion compound CeCoIn5, offering a unified picture of quantum-critical superconductivity. It provides a concise introduction to the respective theoretical models employed to interpret the experimental results, and guides readers through in-depth calculations supplemented with supportive figures in order to both retrace the interpretations and span the bridge between experiment and state-of-the art theory.

This book highlights the power and elegance of algebraic methods of solving problems in quantum mechanics. It shows that symmetries not only provide elegant solutions to problems that can be solved exactly, but also substantially simplify problems that must be solved approximately. Furthermore, the book provides an elementary exposition of quantum electrodynamics and its application to low-energy physics, along with a thorough analysis of the role of relativistic, magnetic, and quantum electrodynamic effects in atomic spectroscopy. Included are essential derivations made clear through detailed, transparent calculations. The book's commitment to deriving advanced results with elementary techniques, as well as its inclusion of exercises will enamor it to advanced undergraduate and graduate students.

This thesis combines quantum electrical engineering with electron spin resonance, with an emphasis on unraveling emerging collective spin phenomena. The presented experiments, with first demonstrations of the cavity protection effect, spectral hole burning and bistability in microwave photonics, cover new ground in the field of hybrid quantum systems. The thesis starts at a basic level, explaining the nature of collective effects in great detail. It develops the concept of Dicke states spin-by-spin, and introduces it to circuit quantum electrodynamics (QED), applying it to a strongly coupled hybrid quantum system studied in a broad regime of several different scenarios. It also provides experimental demonstrations including strong coupling, Rabi oscillations, nonlinear dynamics, the cavity protection effect, spectral hole burning, amplitude bistability and spin echo spectroscopy.

In 1861, James Clerk-Maxwell published Part II of his four-part series'On physical lines of force'. In it, he attempted to construct a vortex model of the magnetic field but after much effort neither he, nor other late nineteenth century physicists who followed him, managed to produce a workable theory. What survived from these attempts were Maxwell's four equations of electrodynamics together with the Lorentz force law, formulae that made no attempt to describe an underlying reality but stood only as a mathematical description of the observed phenomena. When the quantum of action was introduced by Planck in 1900 the difficulties that had faced Maxwell's generation were still unresolved. Since then theories of increasing mathematical complexity have been constructed to attempt to bring the totality of phenomena into order with little success. This work examines the problems that had been abandoned long before quantum mechanics was formulated in 1925 and argues that these issues need to be revisited before real progress in the quantum theory of the electromagnetic field can be made.

Light and Vacuum presents a synthesis of selected fundamental topics of electromagnetic wave theory and quantum electrodynamics (QED) and analyzes the main theoretical difficulties encountered to ensure a coherent mathematical description of the simultaneous wave-particle nature of light, put in evidence by the experiments. The notion and the role of the quantum vacuum, strongly related to light, are extensively investigated.Classical electrodynamics issued from Maxwell's equations revealed the necessity of introducing the notion of volume for an electromagnetic wave to stand entailing precise values of cut-off wavelengths to account for the shape and dimensions of the surrounding space. Conversely, in QED, light is considered to be composed of point particles disregarding the conceptual question on how the frequency of oscillating electric and magnetic fields may be attributed to a point particle.To conciliate these concepts, the book provides a comprehensive overview of the author's work, including innovative contributions on the quantization of the vector potential amplitude at a single photon state, the non-local simultaneous wave-particle mathematical representation of the photon and finally the quantum vacuum. The purpose of the advanced elaborations is to raise questions, give hints and answers, and finally aspire for further theoretical and experimental studies in order to improve our knowledge and understanding on the real essence of Light and Vacuum.In this new edition, improvements have been made to the various chapters taking into account the actual status of the knowledge in this field. The photon wave function is further analyzed and a new concept of quantum vacuum is advanced compatible with recent astrophysical observations.

In this thesis, ultimate sensitive measurement for weak force imposed on a suspended mirror is performed with the help of a laser and an optical cavity for the development of gravitational-wave detectors. According to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, such measurements are subject to a fundamental noise called quantum noise, which arises from the quantum nature of a probe (light) and a measured object (mirror). One of the sources of quantum noise is the quantum back-action, which arises from the vacuum fluctuation of the light. It sways the mirror via the momentum transferred to the mirror upon its reflection for the measurement. The author discusses a fundamental trade-off between sensitivity and stability in the macroscopic system, and suggests using a triangular cavity that can avoid this trade-off. The development of an optical triangular cavity is described and its characterization of the optomechanical effect in the triangular cavity is demonstrated. As a result, for the first time in the world the quantum back-action imposed on the 5-mg suspended mirror is significantly evaluated. This work contributes to overcoming the standard quantum limit in the future.

Carsten Kleppel liefert eine verständliche Motivation und Diskussion der Dirac-Gleichung, von der aus mit Hilfe der Feldquantisierung und Störungstheorie die Grundzüge der Quantenelektrodynamik erschlossen werden. Die nach P. A. M. Dirac benannte Gleichung ist eine der größten Errungenschaften der theoretischen Physik des 20. Jahrhunderts und bildete eine wichtige Grundlage der Entwicklung der Quantenelektrodynamik.

Light and Vacuum presents a synthesis of selected fundamental topics of electromagnetic wave theory and quantum electrodynamics (QED) and analyzes the main theoretical difficulties encountered to ensure a coherent mathematical description of the simultaneous wave-particle nature of light, put in evidence by the experiments. The notion and the role of the quantum vacuum, strongly related to light, are extensively investigated.Classical electrodynamics issued from Maxwell's equations revealed the necessity of introducing the notion of volume for an electromagnetic wave to stand entailing precise values of cut-off wavelengths to account for the shape and dimensions of the surrounding space. Conversely, in QED, light is considered to be composed of point particles disregarding the conceptual question on how the frequency of oscillating electric and magnetic fields may be attributed to a point particle.To conciliate these concepts, the book provides a comprehensive overview of the author's work, including innovative contributions on the quantization of the vector potential amplitude at a single photon state, the non-local simultaneous wave-particle mathematical representation of the photon and finally the quantum vacuum. The purpose of the advanced elaborations is to raise questions, give hints and answers, and finally aspire for further theoretical and experimental studies in order to improve our knowledge and understanding on the real essence of Light and Vacuum.

The physics of strong light-matter coupling has been addressed in different scientific communities over the last three decades. Since the early eighties, atoms coupled to optical and microwave cavities have led to pioneering demonstrations of cavity quantum electrodynamics, Gedanken experiments, and building blocks for quantum information processing, for which the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded in 2012. In the framework of semiconducting devices, strong coupling has allowed investigations into the physics of Bose gases in solid-state environments, and the latter holds promise for exploiting light-matter interaction at the single-photon level in scalable architectures. More recently, impressive developments in the so-called superconducting circuit QED have opened another fundamental playground to revisit cavity quantum electrodynamics for practical and fundamental purposes.This book aims at developing the necessary interface between these communities, by providing future researchers with a robust conceptual, theoretical and experimental basis on strong light-matter coupling, both in the classical and in the quantum regimes. In addition, the emphasis is on new forefront research topics currently developed around the physics of strong light-matter interaction in the atomic and solid-state scenarios.

Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is the branch of relativistic quantum field theory that deals specifically with the interactions between charged particles. It is widely used to solve problems in many areas of physics, such as elementary particles, atomic and molecular systems, and solid state physics. This accessible text, Basics of Quantum Electrody

This book is concerned with relativistic quantum field theory, especially QED, its most successful example. It is set in the no-man's land between the math­ ematically rigorous but numerically barren general field theory of the math­ ematical physicist and the computationally fertile but mathematically some­ times adventurous field theory of the more phenomenologically inclined, and it aims at demonstrating that closer contact between these two disparate cultures may be of benefit to both. Perturbative QED serves as an exam­ ple. It is shown how the rules of perturbative quantum field theory, one of the major tools of phenomenology, can be derived from well-defined general assumptions in a mathematically clean way, in particular, not using any reg­ ularizations. Special emphasis is placed on giving the infrared problem its full due. This leads, among other things, to an unorthodox method based on the local-observables approach to field theory, of describing particles and their reactions. The resulting scattering formalism is immediately applica­ ble to the infraparticle situation of QED by directly yielding expressions for the observable-inclusive cross sections, dispensing with the notion of an S­ matrix. Interestingly enough, these expressions differ somewhat from those of the conventional approach. This point will hopefully give rise to interesting and fruitful discussions. I have been working on these sorts of problems on and off for a long time.

Ever since its invention in 1929 the Dirac equation has played a fundamental role in various areas of modern physics and mathematics. Its applications are so widespread that a description of all aspects cannot be done with sufficient depth within a single volume. In this book the emphasis is on the role of the Dirac equation in the relativistic quantum mechanics of spin-1/2 particles. We cover the range from the description of a single free particle to the external field problem in quantum electrodynamics. Relativistic quantum mechanics is the historical origin of the Dirac equation and has become a fixed part of the education of theoretical physicists. There are some famous textbooks covering this area. Since the appearance of these standard texts many books (both physical and mathematical) on the non­ relativistic Schrodinger equation have been published, but only very few on the Dirac equation. I wrote this book because I felt that a modern, comprehensive presentation of Dirac's electron theory satisfying some basic requirements of mathematical rigor was still missing.

The fourth edition of this well-established, highly regarded two-volume set continues to provide a fundamental introduction to advanced particle physics while incorporating substantial new experimental results, especially in the areas of CP violation and neutrino oscillations. It offers an accessible and practical introduction to the three gauge theories included in the Standard Model of particle physics: quantum electrodynamics (QED), quantum chromodynamics (QCD), and the Glashow-Salam-Weinberg (GSW) electroweak theory.In the first volume, a new chapter on Lorentz transformations and discrete symmetries presents a simple treatment of Lorentz transformations of Dirac spinors. Along with updating experimental results, this edition also introduces Majorana fermions at an early stage, making the material suitable for a first course in relativistic quantum mechanics. Covering much of the experimental progress made in the last ten years, the second volume remains focused on the two non-Abelian quantum gauge field theories of the Standard Model: QCD and the GSW electroweak theory. A new chapter on CP violation and oscillation phenomena describes CP violation in B-meson decays as well as the main experiments that have led to our current knowledge of mass-squared differences and mixing angles for neutrinos. Exploring a new era in particle physics, this edition discusses the exciting discovery of a boson with properties consistent with those of the Standard Model Higgs boson. It also updates many other topics, including jet algorithms, lattice QCD, effective Lagrangians, and three-generation quark mixing and the CKM matrix.This revised and updated edition provides a self-contained pedagogical treatment of the subject, from relativistic quantum mechanics to the frontiers of the Standard Model. For each theory, the authors discuss the main conceptual points, detail many practical calculations of physical quantities from first principles, and compare these quantitative predictions with experimental results, helping readers improve both their calculation skills and physical insight.

In this textbook for graduate students in physics the author carefully analyses the role of causality in Q.E.D. This new approach avoids ultraviolet divergences, so that the detailed calculations of scattering processes and proofs can be carried out in a mathematically rigorous manner. Significant themes such as renormalizability, gauge invariance, unitarity, renormalization group, interacting fields and axial anomalies are discussed. The extension of the methods to non-abelian gauge theories is briefly described.The book differs considerably from its first edition: Chap. 3 on Causal Perturbation Theory was completely rewritten and Chap. 4 on Properties of the S-Matrix and Chap. 5 on Other Electromagnetic Couplings are new.

Quantum Plasmadynamics is a synthesis of the kinetic theory of plasmas and quantum electrodynamics (QED). In this volume, the approach applied to unmagnetized plasmas in volume 1 is generalized to magnetized plasmas. First, a covariant version of nonquantum kinetic theory is formulated for single-particle (emission and scattering) processes and the collective-medium response. The relativistic quantum treatment is based on solutions of Dirac's equation for an electron in a magnetostatic field, and single-particle processes are treated using a magnetized version of QED. The response of an electron gas is derived by generalizing the derivation of the response of the magnetized vacuum.

This book offers a concise review of quantum radar theory. Our approach is pedagogical, making emphasis on the physics behind the operation of a hypothetical quantum radar. We concentrate our discussion on the two major models proposed to date: interferometric quantum radar and quantum illumination. In addition, this book offers some new results, including an analytical study of quantum interferometry in the X-band radar region with a variety of atmospheric conditions, a derivation of a quantum radar equation, and a discussion of quantum radar jamming. This book assumes the reader is familiar with the basic principles of non-relativistic quantum mechanics, special relativity, and classical electrodynamics. Our discussion of quantum electrodynamics and its application to quantum radar is brief, but all the relevant equations are presented in the text. In addition, the reader is not required to have any specialized knowledge on classical radar theory. Table of Contents: Introduction / The Photon / Photon Scattering / Classical Radar Theory / Quantum Radar Theory / Quantum Radar Cross Section / Conclusions

'Quantum Theory of Near-field Electrodynamics'gives a self-contained account of the fundamental theory of field-matter interaction on a subwavelength scale. The quantum physical behavior of matter (atoms and mesoscopic media) in both classical and quantum fields is treated. The role of local-field effects and nonlocal electrodynamics, and the tight links to the theory of spatial photon localization are emphasized. The book may serve as a reference work in the field, and is of general interest for physicists working in quantum optics, mesoscopic electrodynamics and physical optics. The macroscopic and microscopic classical theories form a good starting point for the quantum approach, and these theories are presented in a manner appropriate for graduate students entering near-field optics.

The author considers basic definitions of temporal functions in the quantum field theory (delays in scattering processes and durations of formation of particles and states, their “dressing”) and further on their basis experimentally checkable theories are examined: the theory of optical dispersion, the theory of multiphoton processes, the theory of condensed states and phase transitions of the first kind, the theory of near field. The offered approach allows resolving such known difficulties, as the defining of physical sense of some renormalization procedures, the so-called'superluminal'phenomena, some other paradoxes.

We are pleased by the positive resonance of our book which now necessitates a fourth edition. We have used this opportunity to implement corrections of misprints and amendments at several places, and to extend and improve the discussion of many of the exercises and examples. We hope that our presentation of the method of equivalent photons (Example 3. 17), the form factor of the electron (Example 5. 7), the infrared catastrophe (Example 5. 8) and the energy shift of atomic levels (Example 5. 9)arenow even better to understand. The new Exercise 5. 10 shows in detail how to arrive at the non-relativistic limit for the calculation of form factors. Moreover, we have brought up-to-date the Biographical Notes about physicists who have contributed to the dev- opment of quantum electrodynamics, and references to experimental tests of the t- ory. For example, there has been recent progress in the determination of the electric and magnetic form factors of the proton (discussed in Exercise 3. 5 on the Rosenbluth formula) and the Lamb shift of high-Z atoms (discussed in Example 5. 9 on the energy shift of atomic levels), while the experimental veri cation of the birefringence of the QED vacuum in a strong magnetic eld (Example 7. 8) remains unsettled and is a topic of active ongoing research.

The increasing precision of experimental data in many areas of elementary particle physics requires an equally precise theoretical description. In particular, radiative corrections (described by one- and multi-loop Feynman diagrams) have to be considered. Although a growing number of physicists are involved in such projects, multi-loop calculation methods can only be studied from original publications. With its coverage of multi-loop calculations, this book serves as an excellent supplement to the standard textbooks on quantum field theory. Based around postgraduate-level lectures given by the author, the material is suitable for both beginners and graduate students.

Rapid development of microfabrication and assembly of nanostructures has opened up many opportunities to miniaturize structures that confine light, producing unusual and extremely interesting optical properties. This book addresses the large variety of optical phenomena taking place in confined solid state structures: microcavities. Realisations include planar and pillar microcavities, whispering gallery modes, and photonic crystals. The microcavities represent a unique laboratory for quantum optics and photonics. They exhibit a number of beautiful effects including lasing, superfluidity, superradiance, entanglement etc. Written by four practitioners strongly involved in experiments and theories of microcavities, it is addressed to any interested reader having a general physical background, but in particular to undergraduate and graduate students at physics faculties.

The measurements of the Hall coe?cient R and the Seebeck coe?cient H (thermopower) S are known to give the sign of the carrier charge q. Sodium (Na) forms a body-centered cubic (BCC) lattice, where both R and S are H negative, indicating that the carrier is the “electron. ” Silver (Ag) forms a face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice, where the Hall coe?cient R is negative H but the Seebeck coe?cient S is positive. This complication arises from the Fermi surface of the metal. The “electrons” and the “holes” play important roles in conducting matter physics. The “electron” (“hole”), which by de?- tion circulates counterclockwise (clockwise) around the magnetic?eld (?ux) vector B cannot be discussed based on the prevailing equation of motion in the electron dynamics: dk/dt = q(E +v×B), where k = k-vector, E = electric?eld, and v = velocity. The energy-momentum relation is not incorporated in this equation. In this book we shall derive Newtonian equations of motion with a s- metric mass tensor. We diagonalize this tensor by introducing the principal masses and the principal axes of the inverse-mass tensor associated with the Fermi surface. Using these equations, we demonstrate that the “electrons” (“holes”) are generated, depending on the curvature sign of the Fermi s- face. The complicated Fermi surface of Ag can generate “electrons” and “holes,” and it is responsible for the observed negative Hall coe?cient R H and positive Seebeck coe?cient S.