Summary: arXiv:0705.2365v2
[gr­qc]
25
Oct
2007
THE ISSUE OF PHOTONS IN DIELECTRICS:
HAMILTONIAN VIEWPOINT
S. ANTOCI AND L. MIHICH
Abstract. The denition of the photon in the vacuum of general rela-
tivity provided by Kermack et al. and by Synge is extended to nondis-
persive, nonhomogeneous, isotropic dielectrics in arbitrary motion by
Hamiltonian methods that rely on Gordon's eective metric. By these
methods the old dilemma, whether the momentum-energy vector of the
photon in dielectrics is timelike or spacelike in character, is shown to
reappear under a novel guise.
1. Introduction
Despite a widespread conviction, the concept of photon in vacuo does not
pertain exclusively to quantum physics. Classical general relativity has its
say on the subject, as it was beautifully shown long ago by Kermack et
al. [1] and by Synge [2]. By availing of Hamiltonian methods, and of the

Source: Antoci, Salvatore - Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita' di Pavia

Collections: Physics