Computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speeds
The interaction of matter with short light pulses is relevant in optical traps, optical tweezers, and many other applications. The theoretical description of such polychromatic light-matter interaction is challenging, and more so when the object is moving with respect to the light source, albeit wit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Physical Review Research |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.013132 |
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| _version_ | 1832540575043158016 |
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| author | Maxim Vavilin Juan Diego Mazo-Vásquez Ivan Fernandez-Corbaton |
| author_facet | Maxim Vavilin Juan Diego Mazo-Vásquez Ivan Fernandez-Corbaton |
| author_sort | Maxim Vavilin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The interaction of matter with short light pulses is relevant in optical traps, optical tweezers, and many other applications. The theoretical description of such polychromatic light-matter interaction is challenging, and more so when the object is moving with respect to the light source, albeit with constant speed. Light sails are futuristic examples where such speed should reach the relativistic regime. In here, we provide a methodology for the theoretical and numerical analysis of the interaction of light pulses with objects moving with constant speed. The methodology allows one, in particular, to readily compute the transfer of fundamental quantities such as energy and momentum from the light pulse to the object. As an example, we compute the transfer of energy and momentum between a given pulse and a silicon sphere moving at relativistic speeds. The methodology, however, is valid for generic pulses and objects. Particularizing the equations to the case of zero speed allows one to treat static or quasistatic objects. The method is based on the polychromatic T-matrix (transition matrix) formalism, which leverages the many publicly available resources for computing T matrices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-09d0eac502014d8a9643c3fe9dbb9bed |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2643-1564 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physical Review Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-09d0eac502014d8a9643c3fe9dbb9bed2025-02-04T17:33:21ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642025-02-017101313210.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.013132Computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speedsMaxim VavilinJuan Diego Mazo-VásquezIvan Fernandez-CorbatonThe interaction of matter with short light pulses is relevant in optical traps, optical tweezers, and many other applications. The theoretical description of such polychromatic light-matter interaction is challenging, and more so when the object is moving with respect to the light source, albeit with constant speed. Light sails are futuristic examples where such speed should reach the relativistic regime. In here, we provide a methodology for the theoretical and numerical analysis of the interaction of light pulses with objects moving with constant speed. The methodology allows one, in particular, to readily compute the transfer of fundamental quantities such as energy and momentum from the light pulse to the object. As an example, we compute the transfer of energy and momentum between a given pulse and a silicon sphere moving at relativistic speeds. The methodology, however, is valid for generic pulses and objects. Particularizing the equations to the case of zero speed allows one to treat static or quasistatic objects. The method is based on the polychromatic T-matrix (transition matrix) formalism, which leverages the many publicly available resources for computing T matrices.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.013132 |
| spellingShingle | Maxim Vavilin Juan Diego Mazo-Vásquez Ivan Fernandez-Corbaton Computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speeds Physical Review Research |
| title | Computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speeds |
| title_full | Computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speeds |
| title_fullStr | Computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speeds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speeds |
| title_short | Computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speeds |
| title_sort | computing the interaction of light pulses with objects moving at relativistic speeds |
| url | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.013132 |
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