Phys.org April 27, 2022
Most theoretical derivations of fundamental radiative processes rely on energetic considerations and detailed balance equations, but not on momentum considerations. An international team of researchers (USA – Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Belgium, Spain, Denmark) re-examined the foundations of quantum physics from the perspective of momentum and explored what happens when the momentum of light is reduced to zero. They theoretically demonstrated that momentum recoil, transfer momentum from the field to the atom and Doppler shift are inhibited in NZI materials. Fundamental radiative processes inhibition is also explained due to those momentum considerations inside three-dimensional NZI materials. Absence of diffraction pattern in slits experiments is seen as a consequence of zero Minkowski momentum. Lastly, consequence on Heisenberg inequality, microscopy applications and on the canonical momentum as generator of translations are discussed. Their work shed new light on near-zero refractive index photonics from a momentum perspective, provides insights in the understanding of light-matter interactions in systems with a low- refraction index, which can be useful for lasing and quantum optics applications…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Schematic of Balazs gedanken experiment inspired… Credit: Light: Science & Applications volume 11, Article number: 110 (2022)Â