Abstract
We consider the interplay between the structure and the dynamics of a quantum source and the virtual photon cloud surrounding it in two simple models: as first case we examine the structure of the virtual cloud surrounding a model of static source formed by the N = 1, N = 2 shells of the hydrogen atom when a static uniform electric field acts on the source. The distortion induced on the source is reflected on the structure of the virtual cloud. In fact in the presence of the external field new components of the virtual cloud appear. These new components extend to large distances and have the same spatial symmetry of the one induced by the static field on the source.We then consider a three level system interacting with a boson field. Its intermediate level is metastable and decays with emission of two quanta to the lowest level. Due to the interaction with the field the intermediate and the lower level are dressed by a virtual photon cloud. The effects of the dressing are taken into account by a unitary transformation. Then the two quanta decay amplitude is obtained using the resolvent technique. The dressed lineshape obtained is then compared with the one obtained in the decay between bare states In the dressed decay one of the emitted quanta has the same distribution as the virtual quanta surrounding the excited state.
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