The enigma of optical momentum in a medium.

Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences
Stephen M Barnett, Rodney Loudon

Abstract

It is 100 years since Minkowski and Abraham first gave rival expressions for the momentum of light in a material medium. At the single-photon level, these correspond, respectively, either to multiplying or dividing the free-space value (symbol:see text) by the refractive index (n). The debate that this work started has continued till the present day, punctuated by the occasional publication of 'decisive' experimental demonstrations supporting one or other of these values. We review the compelling arguments made in support of the Minkowski and Abraham forms and are led to the conclusion that both momenta are correct. We explain why two distinct momenta are needed to describe light in a medium and why each appears as the natural, and experimentally observed, momentum in appropriate situations.

References

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Apr 4, 1994·Physical Review Letters·M Kristensen, J P Woerdman
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Mar 5, 2009·Physical Review Letters·E A Hinds, Stephen M Barnett
Nov 27, 2006·Optics Express·Rodney Loudon, Stephen M Barnett

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Citations

Jul 8, 2014·Nature Communications·Nelson G C AstrathStephen E Bialkowski
Jul 14, 2012·Proceedings. Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences·R Loudon, C Baxter
Feb 10, 2016·Scientific Reports·Otávio Augusto CapelotoNelson Guilherme Castelli Astrath
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Nov 24, 2011·Physical Review Letters·G L J A Rikken, B A van Tiggelen
Oct 4, 2012·Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics·Yuri N ObukhovGuillermo F Rubilar
Jun 16, 2015·Optics Letters·Kyoung-Youm Kim, Alan X Wang
Aug 2, 2017·Reports on Progress in Physics·Sergey Sukhov, Aristide Dogariu
Apr 20, 2012·Optics Express·Jonathan NemirovskyMordechai Segev
Oct 30, 2015·Reports on Progress in Physics·Max Bethune-Waddell, Kenneth J Chau
Jun 30, 2018·Physical Review Letters·F AlpeggianiL Kuipers
Sep 28, 2017·Physical Review Letters·Konstantin Y BliokhFranco Nori
Dec 1, 2015·Chemical Science·Nicole L LamplandAaron D Sadow
Aug 23, 2018·Optics Express·Mikko Partanen, Jukka Tulkki
Aug 23, 2018·Nature Communications·Tomaž PožarNelson G C Astrath
Feb 18, 2011·Optics Letters·Brandon A Kemp, Tomasz M Grzegorczyk
Aug 11, 2018·Physical Review Letters·J Enrique Vázquez-Lozano, Alejandro Martínez
Feb 18, 2017·Physical Review Letters·Matthias SonnleitnerStephen M Barnett
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Sep 26, 2012·Physical Review Letters·G L J A Rikken, B A van Tiggelen
Jun 12, 2012·Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics·Winston Frias, Andrei I Smolyakov

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