# References for non-vacuum dispersion relations

1. Mar 10, 2010

### DrFaustus

Hi guys,

I'm looking for some references where dispersion relations, say for photons, are explicitely written out in a generic medium. In other words, the dispersion relation for particles not propagating in the vacuum is a different one than the standard vacuum one $$E^2 = p^2 + m^2$$ and I'm looking for papers/books where such relations are written out. Possibly for the photon or for electrons. Do you know any?

2. Mar 10, 2010

### PhilDSP

The Jackson EM textbook covers that and is very valuable for most aspects of EM with a bit of a bridge into QM and relativity. If you really want to dig into dispersion and see a full derivation you may want to look at a textbook on Plasma Physics such as Introduction to Plasma Physics: With Space and Laboratory Applications by D. A. Gurnett and A. Bhattacharjee. But that will require a working understanding of the Maxwell Equations and the Fourier Transform.

But unfortunately there is no generic medium. Molecular/atomic/ionic densities, particle trajectories, temperature and presence of EM fields, for example, all profoundly affect dispersion relations.

Last edited: Mar 10, 2010