Colin Baxter

Research

My physics research to date has largely been in the areas of quantum optics, atomic physics and quantum electrodynamics - click the Publications button on the menu bar for some of my academic research papers.

Radiation Pressure

The action of an electromagnetic field on a dielectric material medium produces mechanical effects, which are intrinsically profound and may also have extensive practical uses in nanotechnology.

Recent papers (click here and here) demonstrate the redundancy of the old Minkowski Abraham controversy concerning the form of the electromagnetic momentum density in a dielectric.

Investigations are continuing in the area of metamaterials, which may produce considerable application in nanoscience.

Accelerated Atoms

An accelerated 2-level atom becomes excited when accelerated through a Minkowski vacuum. This is the Unruh effect.

Previous work on accelerated atoms or oscillators seem largely to use either a Langevin equation or a master equation approach.

I am looking at problems in this area from a canonical view, evaluating the operators at a general proper-time and introducing a general gauge transformation.

Topological Effects in (1+2) Dimensions

Quantum systems behave differently in a reduced number of space-time dimensions. I am particularly interested in the possibility of topological effects in light beams that possess angular momentum.

Click here for a preprint.

Quantitative Finance and Gauge Theory

I would not claim to be a "quant", but I am interested in the formal connection between physical theory and various financial models; in particular the BGM model of interest rates and gauge theory.

Even on a superficial level, it is remarkable that a simple bank account undergoes parallel transport along a time-curve parameterized by the interest rate.

Kirill Ilinsk has written an interesting book in this general area, called the "Physics of Finance".

Academic Colleagues

Prof. R. Loudon
Prof. M. Babiker
Prof. S. M. Barnett

Research Grants

I have a hundred per-cent success record in writing grant applications - admittedly from a very low base!

Quantum Theory of Radiation Pressure in Material Bodies
£98,248; 2001 - 2003
Funding Body: UK EPSRC
Download proposalDownload Proposal

GR/L/37335 Quantum Mechanics of Atoms Confined to 2D Motion
£77,825; 1997 - 1999
Funding Body: UK EPSRC
Download proposalDownload Proposal


Interesting Links

Theoretical Physicist?
Physics Wiki
Mathpages.com

 

 

 
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