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arXiv · hep-th/9703177

Loop Quantization of Maxwell Theory and Electric Charge Quantization

Alejandro Corichi·Kirill Krasnov
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Abstract

We consider the loop quantization of Maxwell theory. A quantization of this type leads to a quantum theory in which the fundamental excitations are loop-like rather than particle-like. Each such loop plays the role of a quantized Faraday's line of electric flux. We find that the quantization depends on an arbitrary choice of a parameter e that carries the dimension of electric charge. For each value of e an electric charge that can be contained inside a bounded spatial region is automatically quantized in units of hbar/4*pi*e. The requirement of consistency with the quantization of electric charge observed in our Universe fixes a value of the, so far arbitrary, parameter e of the theory. Finally, we compare the ambiguity in the choice of parameter e with the beta-ambiguity that, as pointed by Immirzi, arises in the loop quantization of general relativity, and comment on a possible way this ambiguity can be fixed.

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Alejandro Corichi, Kirill Krasnov. 1997-03-30. Loop Quantization of Maxwell Theory and Electric Charge Quantization. https://doi.org/10.1142/s0217732398001406

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