Quantum radiation and dissipation in relation to classical radiation and radiation reaction

Abstract

This work continues the investigation of radiation phenomena from atom-field interactions, extending our earlier study of quantum radiation from a stationary atom's internal degree of freedom, modeled by a harmonic oscillator, to the emittance of classical radiation. By assuming that the atom interacts with a quantum scalar field initially in a coherent state, we show how a stochastic component of the internal dynamics of the atom arises from the vacuum fluctuations of the field, resulting in the emittance of quantum radiation, whose reaction induces quantum dissipation in the internal dynamics. We also show how the deterministic mean field drives the internal classical mean component to emit classical radiation and receive classical radiation reaction. Both components are statistically distinct and fully decoupled. It is clearly seen that the effects of the vacuum fluctuations of the field are matched with those of quantum radiation reaction, not with classical radiation reaction, as the folklore goes. In contrast to the quantum component of the atom's internal dynamics, which always equilibrates, the relaxation dynamics of the classical component largely depends on the late-time behavior of the mean field. For the values of the parameters defining the coherent state of the field much greater than unity, if the mean field remains periodic, then the internal dynamics of the atom will appear classical and periodic. If the mean field diminishes with time, then the classical component of the atom's internal dynamics subsides but the quantum component will abide and dynamically equilibrate. This also explains why quantum radiation from a stationary atom is not observed, and a probe located far away only sees classical radiation. Our analysis therefore paints a continuum landscape starting from vacuum fluctuations in the quantum field to classical radiation and radiation reaction.