Tuesday,
2 December 2003
What is a Photon, Really?
David Snoke, University of Pittsburgh, Physics & Astronomy
12:05 pm, 817R Cathedral of Learning
Abstract:
Our early training in physics encourages us to imagine photons as
little pellets flying through the air, and to see wave-particle
duality as a paradox. This view persists from the debates on quantum
mechanics early in the 20th century. Much has happened in the past
80 years, however. Quantum optics and field theory have developed
a very sophisticated mathematical formalism for treating photons,
and this formalism affects how we view photons. Recently, physicist
Carver Mead of Cal Tech published a book with a very persuasive
mathematical argument of how to understand quantum jumps. He also
argued that photons are not "real." In this talk, I will
present, using only basic algebra, the main points of quantum optics
and Carver Mead's view. These results also lead to a reconsideration
of the EPR paradox.
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