Interaction of Radiation with Matter

[Macedo Junior]

I would like to understand more about refraction phenomenum from the point of view of interaction of photons with matter. I know that refraction phenomenum can be explained by change of speed of light when it passes through a transparent material medium. We are accustomed to study interaction of photons with matter, just showing examples with x-rays and gamma-rays, that are electromagnetic waves of high energy, from the processes of scattering. Would be interesting to treat the refraction phenomenum based on the processes of interaction of photons with matter.

 

[glueball8]

hi, there's something called bragg equations. It might be a good place to start.

 

[Bob S]

Chapter 7 of Jackson "Classical Electrodynamics" 2nd Ed. covers propagation of plane waves in nonconducting media using Maxwell's equations, and in Sec, 7.3 identifies n (index of refraction) as sqrt(ε) (dielectric constant). He also derives Snell's law. He also shows in Eq 7.3 that v=c/sqrt(ε). So basically, radiation interacts with the dielectric constant to slow the plane wave down.

α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο π ρ ς σ τ υ φ χ ψ ω

 

[Macedo Junior]

Thanks for everything!