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Quantum electrodynamics near a dispersive and absorbing dielectric

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posted on 2023-06-08, 12:39 authored by Claudia Eberlein, Robert Zietal
We build up a consistent theory of quantum electrodynamics in the presence of macroscopic polarizable media. We use the Huttner-Barnett model of a dispersive and absorbing dielectric medium and formulate the theory in terms of interacting quantum fields. We integrate out the damped polaritons by using diagrammatic techniques and find an exact expression for the displacement-field (photon) propagator in the presence of a dispersive and absorbing dielectric half-space. This offers a route to traceable perturbative calculations of the same kind as in free-space quantum electrodynamics. As a worked-through example, we consider the interaction of a neutral atom with a dispersive and absorbing dielectric half-space. For that, we use the multipolar coupling D of the atomic dipole moment to the electromagnetic displacement field. We apply this formalism to calculate the one-loop correction to the atomic electron propagator and to find the energy-level shift and changes in the spontaneous decay rates for a neutral atom close to an absorptive dielectric mirror.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Physical Review A

ISSN

1050-2947

Publisher

American Physical Society

Issue

2

Volume

86

Page range

022111

Department affiliated with

  • Physics and Astronomy Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-10-30

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-03-22

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-08-17

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