arXiv · 1309.0620
Photon detection operator and complementarity between electric detector and magnetic detector
Abstract
It had been a long standing problem that there is no consistent definition of photon position operator nor photon number density in the context of quantum theory. In this paper we derive the photon detection operator, which defines location of photon absorption, by applying the theory of indirect measurement to quantum electrodynamics. It is shown that the photon detection probability depends on electric properties of a photon-absorbing atom, in particular, on both electric and magnetic dipole moments of the atom. An experiment is proposed, in which the complementarity of wave-particle nature of light will be tested. It is also discussed that the complementarity is related to the non-commutativity of the electric and the magnetic fields.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
Shogo Tanimura. 2013-11-21. Photon detection operator and complementarity between electric detector and magnetic detector. https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-8949%2F2014%2Ft160%2F014039
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.