It is generally considered that there exists in quantum radiation theory an indetermination in the separation of the respective effects of vacuum fluctuations and radiation reaction. We show in this paper that such an indetermination can be removed by imposing to the corresponding rates of variation to be Hermitian (this is necessary if we want them to have a physical meaning). Such a procedure is generalized to the case of a small system S interacting with a large reservoir % and allows the separation of two types of physical processes, those where % fluctuates and polarizes S (effects of reservoir fluctuations), those where it is S which polarizes % (effects of self reaction). We apply this procedure to an atomic electron interacting with the radiation field and we then identify the contribution of vacuum fluctuations and self reaction to radiative corrections and spontaneous emis- sion of radiation. The analysis of the results obtained in this way allows us to specify the physical pictures which must be associated with the various radiative processes.

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Vacuum fluctuations and radiation reaction : identification of their respective contributions

A subjective survey of stochastic models of quantum mechanics is given along with a discussion of some key radiative processes, the clues they offer, and the difficulties they pose for this program. An electromagnetic basis for deriving quantum mechanics is advocated, and various possibilities are considered. It is argued that only non‐local or non‐causal theories are likely to be a successful basis for such a derivation.

http://cds.cern.ch/record/988571/files/0610046.pdf

Stochastic Models of Quantum Mechanics — A Perspective

In experiments conducted nearly 20 years ago, the spontaneous emission from single atoms was modified using electromagnetic cavities In a condensed matter analogy to a single atom, we demonstrate that the spontaneous emission from an isolated InAs quantum dot can be modified as well The single quantum dot spontaneous emission is coupled with high efficiency to a single, polarization-degenerate cavity mode using a compact, semiconductor resonator structure The quantum dot is embedded in a planar epitaxial microcavity, which is processed into a post of submicron diameter The single quantum dot spontaneous emission lifetime is reduced from the noncavity value of 13 ns to 280 ps, resulting in a single-mode spontaneous emission coupling efficiency of 78% It is believed that this structure will be useful in triggered photons sources for quantum cryptography

Toward high-efficiency regulated single-photon generation using a single quantum dot in a three-dimensional microcavity

In this paper, numerical calculations are performed to compare scattered light distributions for light reflected from randomly rough surfaces in the converging and diverging illumination geometries. It is found that the enhanced backscatter peak can be measured accurately if the source and detector are at the same distance in the diverging geometry, and if the source and detector distances are approximately 100 times the size of the illuminated surface in the converging geometry.

E.R. Pike

Papers

Coherence and quantum optics: Edited by L. Mandel and E. Wolf Plenum Press, 1973, pp 913, $45.50