Duality and helicity: the photon wave function approach

DOI10.1016/J.PHYSLETA.2017.05.042MaRDI QIDQ1691087zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Mahmut Elbistan, Peter A. Horváthy, Pengming Zhang

Publication date 15 January 2018

Published in Physics Letters. A (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1608.08573

zbMATH Keywords

wave equationshelicitysymmetry and conservation lawselectromagnetic duality

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Quantum optics (81V80) Electromagnetic theory (general) (78A25) Symmetries and conservation laws in mechanics of particles and systems (70S10)

Abstract: The photon wave equation proposed in terms of the Riemann-Silberstein vector is derived from a first-order Dirac/Weyl-type action principle. It is symmetric w.r.t. duality transformations, but the associated Noether quantity vanishes. Replacing the fields by potentials and using instead a quadratic Klein-Gordon-type Lagrangian allows us to recover the double-Chern-Simons expression of conserved helicity and is shown to be equivalent to recently proposed alternative frameworks. Applied to the potential-modified theory the Dirac/Weyl-type approach yields again zero conserved charge, whereas the Klein-Gordon-type approach applied to the original setting yields Lipkin's "zilch".

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Cited in

(14)

• The wave function of the Lyman-alpha photon. I: The wave function in the angular and linear momentum representations
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• Chirality, helicity and the rotational content of electromagnetic fields
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 6103867 (Why is no real title available?)
• Optical momentum and angular momentum in complex media: from the Abraham–Minkowski debate to unusual properties of surface plasmon-polaritons
• Gauge invariance of the helicity continuity equation
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• Derivation of the Bialynicki-Birula photon wave function from three-component spinors
• Optical helicity and Hertz vectors
• Topological photon
• The role of the Riemann-Silberstein vector in classical and quantum theories of electromagnetism
• Photon helicity and quantum anomalies in curved spacetimes
• Duality symmetry of quantum electrodynamics and magnetic charges
• Duality-induced reflections and CPT

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