0

For systems with non-zero net charge, the dipole moment depends on the choice of origin (see Does the dipole moment depend on the choice of origin?). How then, can the probability of emission/absorption of light by an atom depend on the angle between the dipole moment and the electric-field component of the light wave?

Ken
  • 1
  • the net charge of an atom is zero, no? And in any case classical modeling is no good for atoms, it has to be a photon interacting which has no electric field components, just energy and spin. – anna v Oct 11 '21 at 05:50
  • Atoms are neutral. Could you clarify your question? @annav stimulated absorption can be evaluated within a semiclassical approximation where photons do not appear. – GiorgioP-DoomsdayClockIsAt-90 Oct 11 '21 at 05:55
  • Consider a charged atom or system of atoms. Single photon emitters, for example point defects in crystals, emit/absorb photons with highest probability when the incoming/outgoing photon direction is perpendicular to the transition dipole moment. Just doesn't make sense if the dipole moment is ill-defined. – Ken Oct 11 '21 at 05:58
  • 1
    Does this answer your question? Does the dipole moment depend on the choice of origin? – Roger V. Oct 11 '21 at 08:09
  • As Ken says, we could be calculating the interaction with an ion so the proposed duplicate is not actually a duplicate. – John Rennie Oct 11 '21 at 08:38

0 Answers0