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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 25: Quantum Effects: Cavity QED II

Q 25.1: Talk

Tuesday, March 7, 2017, 14:30–14:45, P 4

Distinguishing models of surface response through the self-energy of an electron — •Robert Bennett¹, Stefan Yoshi Buhmann¹, and Claudia Eberlein² — ¹Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg i. Br., Germany — ²University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK

We consider the self-energy of an electron confined between parallel plates, representing a simple model of a cavity. The formalism of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics is used to describe the boundary-dependent fluctuating quantised vacuum field to which the electron is coupled, thereby endowing it with a surface-dependent self-energy [1,2]. After introducing the formalism we will outline the derivation of a general formula for this energy shift and demonstrate that its sign is different for two commonly-used models of surface response, namely the plasma model and the Drude model. Following this we propose a cyclotron-based experiment which could in principle detect this difference in sign, shedding light on continuing disagreements about the correct prescription for the interaction of low-frequency vacuum photons with media.

[1] R. Bennett, S.Y. Buhmann and C. Eberlein: arXiv:1610.01416 [quant-ph]

[2] R. Bennett, C. Eberlein - Physical Review A 86 (6) 062505, 2012