The Quantum Vacuum: An Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics

The Quantum Vacuum : An Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics

Front cover
Author	Peter W. Milonni
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Modern physics
Genre	Non-fiction
Publisher	Academic Press, Boston
Publication date	November 1993
Media type	Print, e-book
Pages	539 pp.
ISBN	0-12-498080-5
OCLC	28709624
Preceded by	Lasers
Followed by	Fast Light, Slow Light, and Left-Handed Light

The Quantum Vacuum: An Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics is a physics textbook authored by Peter W. Milonni in 1993. The book provides a careful and thorough treatment of zero-point energy, spontaneous emission, the Casimir, van der Waals forces, Lamb shift and anomalous magnetic moment of the electron at a level of detail not found in other introductory texts to quantum electrodynamics.

The first chapter, Zero‐Point Energy in Early Quantum Theory, was originally published in 1991 in the American Journal of Physics.

In 2008 Milonni received the Max Born Award "For exceptional contributions to the fields of theoretical optics, laser physics and quantum mechanics, and for dissemination of scientific knowledge through authorship of a series of outstanding books".

Chapters

1. Zero-Point Energy in Early Quantum Theory
2. The Electromagnetic Vacuum
3. Some QED Vacuum Effects
4. Nonrelativistic Theory of Atoms in a Vacuum
5. Interlude: Radiation Reaction
6. The Vacuum in Quantum Optics
7. Casimir and van der Waals Forces: Prelude
8. Casimir and van der Waals Forces: Elaborations
9. The Dirac Equation
10. Introduction to Quantum Field Theory
11. Self-Energies and Renormalization
12. Feynman Diagrams
13. App. A. Oscillator Equation and Absorption Rate
14. App. B. Force on an Atom in a Thermal Field
15. App. C. Derivation of Equation (2.28)
16. App. D. Electric Field of Radiation Reaction
17. App. E. Photodetection and Normal Ordering
18. App. F. Transverse and Longitudinal Delta Functions
19. App. G. Lorentz-Invariant Measure
20. Index.

References

• Milonni, P. W.; Shih, M.‐L. (1991). "Zero‐point energy in early quantum theory". American Journal of Physics. 59 (8): 684–698. Bibcode:1991AmJPh..59..684M. ISSN 0002-9505. doi:10.1119/1.16772. 
• Milonni, Peter W.; Eberlein, Claudia (1994). "The Quantum Vacuum: An Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics". American Journal of Physics. 62 (12): 1154–1154. Bibcode:1994AmJPh..62.1154M. ISSN 0002-9505. doi:10.1119/1.17618. 
• Milonni, Peter W. (1994). The Quantum Vacuum: An Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics. Boston: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-498080-5. LCCN 93029780. OCLC 422797902.