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Spontaneous Emission of Light Quanta from the Vacuum

  • Maxime J. JacquetEmail author
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Abstract

In the previous chapter of this dissertation we used the classical theory of Physics that rules the dynamics of the Universe on large scales—General Relativity—to study the behaviour of spacetime around spherical bodies. We introduced the idea of black holes, regions of spacetime bounded by their event horizon from which nothing can escape. In this section, we will try to tie General Relativity with Thermodynamics—broadly speaking, the theory that rules the organization of the Universe. For this purpose, we will follow the arguments which scientists of the early 1970s had to contend with, and see how they found that these theories can be united at the event horizon of black holes. This will eventually lead us to call upon Quantum Physics to explain how black holes can be in a state of thermal equilibrium—thus introducing the concept of spontaneous emission of light quanta from the vacuum.

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© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Faculty of PhysicsUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria

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