Quote on ligh-matter interaction is needed

[The waveguide]

Hi,

It is generally not my style to ask for this type of help... But I am now summarizing my PhD thesis, and I feel that I desperately need a quote by a famous scientist who say something like that:

The whole solid state physics is based on throwing photons on matter and studies of humps and bumps on the spectra that reveal the amazing world of molecules and atoms within the solid.

Well, anything that I say sounds awkward but that is how I feel regarding my work. I was using X-rays, visible and infrared spectroscopies to study properties of solids and I always found it fascinating how those humps and bumps in the spectra can reveal so much about the inner world of solid, hidden from our eyes!

I am sure that famous physicists/chemists had said something more intelligent than I can ever make up... I googled for a while, and also read some books, but I never came across anything matching!

It really drives me mad for a while- I know that my thesis will survive without such a quote, but I can not sleep like that!

 

[Claude Bile]

I think a statement along the lines of "solid state physics is essentially about pushing a solid and seeing how it wobbles" sounds cute - Unfortunately, I'm not a famous scientist by any stretch.

Oh, and congratulations on completing your PhD thesis!

Claude.