Photon Quantum Mechanics

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.20049v2
• Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:42:40 GMT
• Title: Photon Quantum Mechanics
• Authors: Margaret Hawton,
• Abstract summary: We quantize the standard electromagnetic Lagrangian with a subsiduary Lorenz gauge constraint to obtain a covariant theory of the discrete excitations of the classical EM field that can properly be called photons.
• Score: 0.0
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: We second quantize the standard electromagnetic Lagrangian with a subsiduary Lorenz gauge constraint to obtain a covariant theory of the discrete excitations of the classical EM field that can properly be called photons. The longitudinal photon number is zero due to cancellation of Gupta-Bleuler like terms. Physical photons are described by a real number density whose spatial integral is unity so it can be interpreted as the probability density to find a photon at position x'. Energy density is not separated into is positive and negative frequency parts so the nonlocal frequency operator is not required.

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