Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2722-2729 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Optical materials express |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Early online date | 27 Jul 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2021 |
Abstract
The debate and controversy concerning the momentum of light in a dielectric medium (Abraham vs Minkowski) is well-known and still not fully resolved. In this paper, we investigate the origin of both momenta in the frame of special relativity by considering photons in media as relativistic quasiparticles. We demonstrate for the first time to the best of our knowledge that the Minkowski form of the photon mass, momentum, and energy follows directly from the relativistic energy conservation law. We introduce a new expression for the momentum of light in a dispersive medium, consistent with the experimentally observed propagation of photons at the group velocity. Finally, the effect of light-induced optical stretching is discussed, which can be used for experimental verification of the existing expressions for the photon momentum.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Optical materials express, Vol. 11, No. 8, 08.2021, p. 2722-2729.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - On the origin of photon mass, momentum, and energy in a dielectric medium [Invited]
AU - Chichkov, Nikolai B.
AU - Chichkov, Boris N.
N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments. NBC has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 843801. BNC acknowledges financial support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany’s Excellence Strategy within the Cluster of Excellence PhoenixD (EXC 2122, Project ID 390833453) and the Cluster of Excellence QuantumFrontiers (EXC 2123, Project ID 390837967).
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - The debate and controversy concerning the momentum of light in a dielectric medium (Abraham vs Minkowski) is well-known and still not fully resolved. In this paper, we investigate the origin of both momenta in the frame of special relativity by considering photons in media as relativistic quasiparticles. We demonstrate for the first time to the best of our knowledge that the Minkowski form of the photon mass, momentum, and energy follows directly from the relativistic energy conservation law. We introduce a new expression for the momentum of light in a dispersive medium, consistent with the experimentally observed propagation of photons at the group velocity. Finally, the effect of light-induced optical stretching is discussed, which can be used for experimental verification of the existing expressions for the photon momentum.
AB - The debate and controversy concerning the momentum of light in a dielectric medium (Abraham vs Minkowski) is well-known and still not fully resolved. In this paper, we investigate the origin of both momenta in the frame of special relativity by considering photons in media as relativistic quasiparticles. We demonstrate for the first time to the best of our knowledge that the Minkowski form of the photon mass, momentum, and energy follows directly from the relativistic energy conservation law. We introduce a new expression for the momentum of light in a dispersive medium, consistent with the experimentally observed propagation of photons at the group velocity. Finally, the effect of light-induced optical stretching is discussed, which can be used for experimental verification of the existing expressions for the photon momentum.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111960407&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1364/OME.436306
DO - 10.1364/OME.436306
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85111960407
VL - 11
SP - 2722
EP - 2729
JO - Optical materials express
JF - Optical materials express
SN - 2159-3930
IS - 8
ER -