Abstract
In this chapter we investigate the crucial role of the quantum electromagnetic field on the spontaneous and stimulated transitions between two atomic quantum states. After reviewing some properties of classical electrodynamics, we analyze the quantum electrodynamics within the dipole approximation. We calculate the rate of spontaneous emission, absorption, and stimulated emission and connect them with the transition coefficients introduced by Einstein. Finally, we discuss the life time of an atomic state and the line width of an electromagnetic transition.
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Further Reading
Further Reading
For classical and quantum electrodynamics and radiative transitions:
F. Mandl, G. Shaw, Quantum Field Theory, Chap. 1, Sects. 1.3 and 1.4 (Wiley, New York, 1984).
For life time and line widths:
B.H. Bransden, C.J. Joachain: Physics of Atoms and Molecules, Chap. 4, Sects. 4.6 and 4.7 (Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, 2003).
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Salasnich, L. (2014). Electromagnetic Transitions. In: Quantum Physics of Light and Matter. UNITEXT for Physics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05179-6_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05179-6_3
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Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-05178-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05179-6
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