2007/10/31 by Salvatore Esposito, S. Esposito · 1 citation
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Algebraic and Geometric Analysis #Photorefractive and Nonlinear Optics #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #hep-ph #hep-th #physics.hist-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/andp.200710270
published as AnnalenPhys.16:824-841,1997 · Latex, amsart, 20 pages, 2 figures; to be published in Annalen der Physik
arxiv created 2007/10/31 · openalex publication_date 2007/11/15 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Abstract. An account is given of an interesting but unknown theory by Majorana regarding scalar quantum electrodynamics, elaborated several years before the known Pauli-Weisskopf theory. Theoretical calculations and their interpretation are given in detail, together with a general historical discussion of the main steps towards the building of a quantum field theory for electrodynamics. A possible peculiar application to nuclear constitution, as conceived around 1930, considered by Majorana is as well discussed. 1. The known story of early Quantum Electrodynamics Until a few years ago it had been impossible to construct a theory of radiation which could account satisfactorily both for interference phenomena and the phenomena of emission and absorption of light by matter. The first set of phenomena was interpreted by the wave theory, and the second set by the theory of light quanta. It was not until in 1927 that Dirac succeeded in constructing a quantum theory of radiation which could explain in an unified way both types