Radiation pressure on a dielectric boundary: was Poynting wrong?

TL;DR

This paper revisits the classical problem of radiation pressure on a dielectric boundary, confirming that the Minkowski momentum correctly describes the wave's momentum and challenging recent claims supporting Abraham's momentum.

Contribution

The paper clarifies the correct form of electromagnetic momentum in dielectrics, demonstrating Minkowski's form aligns with conservation laws and classical predictions, refuting recent alternative claims.

Findings

Dielectric is pulled toward the incident wave as predicted by Poynting.

Minkowski's momentum is consistent with conservation and classical optics.

Abraham's momentum predictions are incompatible with Fresnel's formulas.

Abstract

When a plane electromagnetic wave in air falls on a flat dielectric boundary, the dielectric body is pulled toward the air as predicted by Poynting a century ago. According to Noether's theorem, the momentum in the direction parallel to the boundary must be conserved among the incident, reflected and transmitted waves. This uniquely determines the expression for the wave momentum in the dielectric medium which agrees with the Minkowski form. The inward force recently predicted and accompanied by Abraham's momentum are not consistent with Fresnel's formulae and basic symmetry principles.