Decay Rate of an Excited Atom in a Magnetized Plasma Medium

Abstract

The effect of magnetic field on the decay rate of an excited atom in a dispersive and dissipative plasma medium is calculated. For this purpose, two particular cases of parallel and perpendicular propagation with respect to the magnetic field is considered for an homogeneous infinitely extended medium. The difference between these two cases is shown in the index of the refraction of the media. For calculating the decay rate, the approach of the Green’s function is used. It is applicable to evaluate the decay rate of an excited atom that allows us to understand the particular structure of the vacuum state of the electromagnetic field.