What Are Beginner-Friendly Resources on the Lorentz Oscillator Model?

[radiogaga35]

Hi there

I found the following nice webpage that gives a brief discussion of the Lorentz Oscillator Model of the atom: http://webphysics.davidson.edu/Projects/AnAntonelli/node5.html. It's part of someone's honours thesis. (Unfortunately the pictures are very small, but nevermind.)

Can anyone recommend any other resources (webpages, books, textbooks, etc.) that discuss this classical Lorentz Oscillator model of the atom, at a similar level? By similar I mean the S.H.M treatment, and discussion of how this model can be used to understand (some) basic aspects of atom-field interactions.

I've searched through various journals, and there are articles discussing the model in some context or the other, but all of these seem very technical and/or specific to some field (e.g applied optics!).

Thank you for your help!

 

[radiogaga35]

Ok, found one or two articles, but now a different difficulty:

Any suggestions as to how I can estimate the spring constant ('k') in this atomic oscillator model? The (imaginary) spring being the electrostatic force bonding the electron to the positive nucleus.

Thanks

 

[Dr Transport]

k is related to the absorption coefficient. If you plot the real and the imaginary portions of the diecletric coefficient or polarization, you'll be able to figure out how to estimate the spring constant of the atom.