Covariant Quantization of Lorentz-Violating Electromagnetism
Quantum Physics
2012-10-19 v2 High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Abstract
We present a consistent, generally covariant quantization of light for non-vacuum birefringent, Lorentz-symmetry breaking electrodynamics in the context of the Standard Model Extension. We find that the number of light quanta in the field is not frame independent, and that the interaction of the quantized field with matter is necessarily birefringent. We also show that the conventional Lorenz gauge condition used to restrict the photon-mode basis to solutions of the Maxwell equations must be weakened to consistently describe Lorentz symmetry violation.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1210.2683,
title = {Covariant Quantization of Lorentz-Violating Electromagnetism},
author = {Michael A. Hohensee and David F. Phillips and Ronald L. Walsworth},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1210.2683},
year = {2012}
}
Comments
16 pages, 1 figure. Standalone version of work included in the Ph.D. Thesis of M.A. Hohensee, (2009). Improved introductory outline, discussion of transverse mode couplings, and conclusion