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arXiv · 0707.2137

A classical model for a photodetector in the presence of electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations

Trevor W. Marshall·Emilio Santos
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Abstract

The main argument against the reality of the electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations is that they do not activate photon detectors. In order to meet this objection we propose a classical model of a photodetector which, in the simple case of a light signal with constant intensity, gives a counting rate which is a non-linear function of the intensity. For sufficiently large signal intensity, the counting rate is proportional to the intensity, in agreement with the standard quantum results, but there is a dark rate when the signal intensity is low.

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Trevor W. Marshall, Emilio Santos. 2007-07-14. A classical model for a photodetector in the presence of electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations. https://arxiv.org/abs/0707.2137

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