Abstract
The underlying presumptions and principal features of major semiclassical theories of radiation are examined critically. There are significant physical and mathematical difficulties leading to the conclusion that, in their present state of development, these theories are incapable of competing with QED either qualitatively or quantitatively. Some possible means of salvaging the semiclassical approach are suggested, the motivation being to seek a more physically satisfying picture than that provided by quantum field theory.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Babiker, M.: 1975, ’Source-Field Approach to Radiative Corrections and Semiclassical Radiation Theory’, Phys. Rev. A 12, 1911.
Barut, A.O.: 1988, ’Quantum-Electrodynamics Based on Self-Energy’, Physica Scripta T21, 18.
Barut, A.O., and J.P. Dowling: 1987, ‘Quantum Electrodynamics Based on Self-Energy, without Second Quantization: The Lamb Shift and Long-Range Casimir-Polder van der Waals Forces Near Boundaries’, Phys. Rev. A 36, 2550.
Barut, A.O., and J.P. Dowling: 1989, ‘QED Based on Self-Fields: A Relativistic Calculation of g - 2’, Z. f. Naturf. 44a, 105.
Barut, A.O., and Y.I. Salamin: 1988, ‘Relativistic Theory of Spontaneous Emission’, Phys. Rev. A 37, 2284.
Barut, A.O., and N. Unal: 1990, ‘Regularized Analytic Evaluation of Vacuum Polarization in a Coulomb Field’, Phys. Rev. D 41, 3822.
Barut, A.O., and J.F. Van Huele: 1985, ’Quantum Electrodynamics Based on Self-Energy: Lamb Shift and Spontaneous Emission without Field Quantization’, Phys. Rev. A 32, 3187.
Berestetskii, V.B., E.M. Lifshitz, and L.P. Pitaevskii: 1982, Quantum Electrodynamics, Pergamon Press, Oxford.
Bethe, H.A.: 1947, ’The Electromagnetic Shift of Energy Levels’, Phys. Rev. 72, 339.
Bialynicki-Birula, I.: 1986, ’Comment on “Quantum Electrodynamics Based on Self-Energy: Lamb Shift and Spontaneous Emission without Field Quantization’, Phys. Rev. A 34, 3500.
Bjorken, J.D., and S.D. Drell: 1964, Relativistic Quantum Mechanics, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Citron, M.L., H.R. Gray, C.W. Gabel, and C.R. Stroud: 1977, ‘Experimental Study of Power Broadening in a Two-Level Atom’, Phys. Rev. A 16, 1507.
Crisp, M.D., and E.T. Jaynes: 1969, ‘Radiative Effects in Semiclassical Theory’, Phys. Rev. 179, 1253.
Das, A., and D. Kay: 1989, ‘A Class of Exact Plane Wave Solutions of the Maxwell-Dirac Equations’, J. Math. Phys. 30, 2280.
Davies, B., and A.N. Burkitt: 1980, ‘On the Relationship between Quantum Random and Semiclassical Electrodynamics’, Aust. J. Phys.33 : 671.
Dorling, J.: 1987, ’Schrödinger’s Original Interpretation of the Schrödinger Equation: A Rescue Attempt’, in C.W. Kilmister (ed.), Schrödinger, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, p.16.
Finkelstein, R.J.: 1949, ’On the Quantization of a Unified Field Theory’, Phys. Rev. 75, 1079.
Finkelstein, R., C. Fronsdal, and P. Kaus: 1956, ‘Nonlinear Spinor Field’, Phys. Rev. 103, 1571.
Flato, M., J. Simon, and E. Taflin: 1987, ‘On Global Solutions of the Maxwell-Dirac Equations’, Commun. Math. Phys. 112, 21.
French, J.B., and V.F. Weisskopf: 1949, The Electromagnetic Shift of Energy Levels’, Phys. Rev. 75, 1240.
Goldman, S.P., and G.W.F. Drake: 1981, ‘Relativistic Two-Photon Decay Rates of 2S1/2 Hydrogenic Ions’, Phys. Rev. A 24, 183.
Grandy, W.T., Jr.: 1991, Relativistic Quantum Mechanics of Leptons and Fields, Kluwer, Dordrecht.
Grandy, W.T., Jr., and A. Aghazadeh: 1982, ‘Radiative Corrections for Extended Charged Particles in Classical Electrodynamics’, Ann. Phys. 142, 284.
Itzykson, C., and J.-B. Zuber: 1980, Quantum Field Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Jaynes, E.T.: 1973, ‘Survey of the Present Status of Neoclassical Radiation Theory’, in L. Mandel and E. Wolf (eds.), Coherence in Quantum Optics, Plenum, New York.
Jaynes, E.T.: 1978, ‘Electrodynamics Today’, in L. Mandel and E. Wolf (eds.), Coherence in Quantum Optics IV, Plenum, New York.
Jaynes, E.T.: 1990, ‘Probability in Quantum Theory’, in W.H. Zurek (ed.), Complexity, Entropy and the Physics of Information, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA.
Kaempffer, F.A.: 1955, ‘Elementary Particles as Self-Maintained Excitations’, Phys. Rev. 99, 1614.
Källén, A.O.G.: 1958, ‘Quantenelektrodynamik’, in S. Flügge (ed.), Handbuch der Physik, Band V, Teil 1, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Khalatnikov, I.M.: 1989, ‘Reminiscences of Landau’, Physics Today, May, p.34.
Kimble, H.J., and L. Mandel: 1975, ‘Problem of Resonance Fluorescence and the Inadequacy of Spontaneous Emission as a Test of Quantum Electrodynamics’, Phys. Rev. Lett. 34, 1485.
Lanyi, G.: 1973, 5Classical Electromagnetic Radiation of the Dirac Electron’, Phys. Rev. D 8, 3413.
Lloyd, S.P.: 1950, ‘Elimination of the Self-Electromagnetic Field’, Phys. Rev. 77, 757(A).
Mahanty, J.: 1974, ‘A Semi-Classical Theory of the Dispersion Energy of Atoms and Molecules’, Nuovo Cimento 22B, 110.
Mandel, L.: 1986, ‘Non-Classical States of the Electromagnetic Field’, Phys. Scripta T12, 34.
Mathieu, P., and T.F. Morris: 1984, ‘Existence Conditions for Spinor Solitons’, Phys. Rev. D 30, 1835.
Milonni, P.W.: 1984, ‘Why Spontaneous Emission?’, Am. J. Phys. 52, 340.
Power, E.A.: 1966, ‘Zero-Point Energy and the Lamb Shift’, Am. J. Phys. 34, 516.
Schwinger, J., L.L. DeRaad, Jr., and K.A. Milton: 1978, ’Casimir Effect in Dielectrics’, Ann. Phys. 115, 1.
Schrödinger, E.: 1926, ‘Quantisierung als Eigenwertproblem’, Ann. d. Phys. 79, 361.
Schrödinger, E.: 1927, ‘Energieaustauch nach der Wellenmechanik’, Ann. d. Phys. 83, 956.
Stroud, C.R., Jr., and E.T. Jaynes: 1970, ‘Long-Term Solutions in Semiclassical Radiation Theory’, Phys. Rev. A 1, 106.
Uehling, E.A.: 1935, ‘Polarization Effects in the Positron Theory’, Phys. Rev. 48, 55.
Weisskopf, V., and E.P. Wigner: 1930, ‘Linienbreite auf Grund der Diracschen Lichttheorie’, Z. Phys. 63, 54.
Wódkiewicz, K.: 1980, ‘Resonance Fluorescence and Spontaneous Emission as Tests of QED’, in A.O. Barut (ed.), Foundations of Radiation Theory and Quantum Electrodynamics, Plenum, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Grandy, W.T. (1991). The Explicit Nonlinearity of Quantum Electrodynamics. In: Hestenes, D., Weingartshofer, A. (eds) The Electron. Fundamental Theories of Physics, vol 45. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3570-2_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3570-2_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5582-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-3570-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive