Table of Contents

Zero-Point Energy in Early Quantum Theory. The Electromagnetic Vacuum. Some QED Vacuum Effects. Nonrelativistic Theory of Atoms in Vacuum. Interlude: Radiation Reaction. The Vacuum in Quantum Optics. Casimirand van der Waals Forces: Prelude. Casimir and van der Waals Forces: Elaborations. The Dirac Equation. Introduction to Quantum Field Theory. Self-Energies and Renormalization. Feynman Diagrams. Appendices: Oscillator Equation and Absorption Rate. Force onan Atom in a Thermal Field. Derivation of Equation (2.28). Electric Field of Radiation Reaction. Photodetection and Normal Ordering. Transverse and Longitudinal Delta Functions. Lorentz-Invariant Measure. Index.

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Key Features
* Does not assume that the reader has taken advanced graduate courses, making the text accessible to beginning graduate students
* Emphasizes the basic physical ideas rather than the formal, mathematical aspects of the subject
* Provides a careful and thorough treatment of Casimir and van der Waals forces at a level of detail not found in any other book on this topic
* Clearly presents mathematical derivations

Reviews

"A survey of some of the most important ideas about the always fluctuating quantum vacuum along with a description, based on fundamental vacuum processes, of the physical concepts of quantum electrodynamics." --SCI TECHBOOK NEWS (1994) "The Quantum Vacuum [is] an informative and very readable introduction to quantum electrodynamics. It is a remarkable idea that a book on this topic should be a 'page turner but I found it difficult to put down...I have not come across a better introduction to this subject than Milonnis text. All serious students of quantum theory will benefit from reading it and I have already recommended it to my students. I am looking forward to finishing working through the later chapters once I get the book back from the aforementioned students!" --Stephen M. Barnett, JOURNAL OF MODERN OPTICS (1994, vol. 41, no. 5, 1051-1052)