Reciprocal Quantum Electrodynamics with Bound States in the Continuum

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Lan, Shoufeng
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Lan, Shoufeng
author_facet Lan, Shoufeng
contents Quantum electrodynamics (QED) accurately describes all known forms of modern optics and photonics regarding interactions between photons and matter. While matter ranges widely from atoms, particles, to solids, photons are predominantly in a confined physical space, such as a pair of mirrors, for enhanced photon-matter interactions known as cavity QED. Since position and momentum are canonically conjugate variables governed by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, a fundamental question arises - what if light confinement is in the not-so-intuitive momentum or reciprocal space? The realization of photonic bound states in the continuum (BICs) has made possible this exotic scenario. Here, we summarize the most recent advancements at this research frontier in optics and photonics, covering weak coupling, strong coupling, and nonlinear optics. We can designate such photon-matter interactions enabled by reciprocal light confinement through BICs with truly open systems as reciprocal QED, which holds great promise to comprehend and extend cavity QED for optics, photonics, and related fields.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_20779
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Reciprocal Quantum Electrodynamics with Bound States in the Continuum
Lan, Shoufeng
Optics
Quantum electrodynamics (QED) accurately describes all known forms of modern optics and photonics regarding interactions between photons and matter. While matter ranges widely from atoms, particles, to solids, photons are predominantly in a confined physical space, such as a pair of mirrors, for enhanced photon-matter interactions known as cavity QED. Since position and momentum are canonically conjugate variables governed by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, a fundamental question arises - what if light confinement is in the not-so-intuitive momentum or reciprocal space? The realization of photonic bound states in the continuum (BICs) has made possible this exotic scenario. Here, we summarize the most recent advancements at this research frontier in optics and photonics, covering weak coupling, strong coupling, and nonlinear optics. We can designate such photon-matter interactions enabled by reciprocal light confinement through BICs with truly open systems as reciprocal QED, which holds great promise to comprehend and extend cavity QED for optics, photonics, and related fields.
title Reciprocal Quantum Electrodynamics with Bound States in the Continuum
topic Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.20779