Relativistic Operator Description of Photon Polarization

Arvind, * and Mukunda, N (1996) Relativistic Operator Description of Photon Polarization. In: Pramana, 46 (5). pp. 347-359.

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Abstract

We present an operator approach to the description of photon polarization, based on Wigner's concept of elementary relativistic systems. The theory of unitary representations of the Poincare group, and of parity, are exploited to construct spinlike operators acting on the polarization states of a photon at each fixed energy momentum. The nontrivial topological features of these representations relevant for massless particles, and the departures from the treatment of massive finite spin representations, are highlighted and addressed.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Pramana
Publisher:	Indian Academy of Science
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Centre for Theoretical Studies (Ceased to exist at the end of 2003) Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Physics
Date Deposited:	25 Aug 2008
Last Modified:	13 Apr 2011 06:18
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/883

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