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Quantum theory of radiative transition phenomena
Author(s) -
Langhoff P. W.,
Heffner W. R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international journal of quantum chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.484
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-461X
pISSN - 0020-7608
DOI - 10.1002/qua.560090856
Subject(s) - radiative transfer , physics , fermi's golden rule , context (archaeology) , quantum mechanics , wave function , quantum , quantum electrodynamics , schrödinger's cat , atomic physics , fermi gamma ray space telescope , paleontology , biology
An elementary account is given of the absorption and emission of radiation by molecules employing a particular formulation of Schrödinger theory which facilitates the treatment of radiative line widths and level shifts. The familiar Fermi golden rule for transition rates, the Rabi Bloch‐Siegert absorption profile, and the Weisskopf‐Wigner approximation for spontaneous decay are obtained under appropriate conditions in the context of a common perspective. Comparisons are made with other recently devised perturbative and nonperturbative formulations of electromagnetic transition phenomena which correctly include radiative line widths and level shifts, and the importance of proper treatment of the normalization and phase of the Schrödinger wave function in this connection is emphasized.