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Optical angular momentum in classical electrodynamics

Invoking Maxwell's classical equations in conjunction with expressions for the electromagnetic (EM) energy, momentum, force, and torque, we use a few simple examples to demonstrate the nature of the EM angular momentum. The energy and the angular momentum of an EM field will be shown to have an intimate relationship; a source radiating EM angular momentum will, of necessity, pick up an equal but opposite amount of mechanical angular momentum; and the spin and orbital angular momenta of the EM field, when absorbed by a small particle, will be seen to elicit different responses from the particle.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/625947
Date01 June 2017
CreatorsMansuripur, Masud
ContributorsCollege of Optical Sciences, The University of Arizona
PublisherIOP PUBLISHING LTD
Source SetsUniversity of Arizona
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeArticle
Rights© 2017 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Relationhttp://stacks.iop.org/1402-4896/92/i=6/a=065501?key=crossref.40820c8907c3318ee1d659efe9e92d33

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