Axiomatic geometrical optics, Abraham-Minkowski controversy, and photon properties derived classically
Abstract
By restating geometrical optics within the field-theoretical approach, the classical concept of a photon (and, more generally, any elementary excitation) in arbitrary dispersive medium is introduced, and photon properties are calculated unambiguously. In particular, the canonical and kinetic momenta carried by a photon, as well as the two corresponding energy-momentum tensors of a wave, are derived from first principles of Lagrangian mechanics. As an example application of this formalism, the Abraham-Minkowski controversy pertaining to the definitions of these quantities is resolved for linear waves of arbitrary nature, and corrections to the traditional formulas for the photon kinetic energy-momentum are found. Several other applications of axiomatic geometrical optics to electromagnetic waves are also presented.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1203.5987,
title = {Axiomatic geometrical optics, Abraham-Minkowski controversy, and photon properties derived classically},
author = {I. Y. Dodin and N. J. Fisch},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1203.5987},
year = {2013}
}