Abstract
We utilize relativistic quantum mechanics to develop general quantum field-theoretic foundations suitable for understanding, analyzing, and designing generic quantum antennas for potential use in secure quantum communication systems and other applications. Quantum antennas are approached here as abstract source systems capable of producing what we dub “quantum radiation.” We work from within a generic relativistic framework, whereby the quantum antenna system is modeled in terms of a fundamental quantum spacetime field. After developing a framework explaining how quantum radiation can be understood using the methods of perturbative relativistic quantum field theory (QFT), we investigate in depth the problem of quantum radiation by a controlled abstract source functions. We illustrate the theory in the case of the neutral Klein-Gordon linear quantum antenna, outlining general methods for the construction of the Green’s function of a source—receiver quantum antenna system, the latter being useful for the computation of various candidate angular quantum radiation directivity and gain patterns analogous to the corresponding concepts in classical antenna theory. We anticipate that the proposed formalism may be extended to deal with a large spectrum of other possible controlled emission types for quantum communications applications, including, for example, the production of scalar, fermionic, and bosonic particles, where each could be massless or massive. Therefore, our goal is to extend the idea of antenna beyond electromagnetic waves, where now our proposed QFT-based concept of a quantum antenna system could be used to explore scenarios of controlled radiation of any type of relativistic particles, i.e., effectively transcending the well-known case of photonic systems through the deployment of novel non-standard quantum information transmission carriers such as massive photons, spin-1/2 particles, gravitons, antiparticles, higher spin particles, and so on.
Highlights
The main objective of this paper is to develop conceptual, physical, and mathematical foundations for quantum antenna theory based on a very broad approach to generic quantum fields produced and consumed by source and sink systems separated in spacetime
We developed foundations for quantum antenna theory using the relativistic framework of quantum field theory (QFT) with emphasis on the source–sink
We have shown how in the linear quantum antenna model, one may directly construct quantum radiation directivity and gain measures that somehow resemble their counterparts in classical antenna theory
Summary
In contrast to classical antennas, q-antenna systems are intrinsically stochastic. The ultimate goal of a candidate q-antenna theory is to supply rules and guidelines for estimating probabilities of potential detection (reception) processes ideally enacted somewhere within the near or far spacetime zones of the quantum sources. Certain quantities are fundamental for analyzing and designing functioning actual devices able to radiate power in real-life settings. These often include directivity, gain (preferably with a measure of radiation efficiency), and the array factor [27,33,35]. There are fundamental differences between c- and q-antennas in terms of the physical interpretation and meaning of the results obtained since, clearly, electromagnetic and quantum radiation are very distinct (though related) physical processes. For the purpose of constructing working definitions for directivity and gain functions suitable for q-antennas, we explore some possible antenna radiation pattern constructions made available to us by the relativistic QFT approach proposed above
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