Spontaneous Photoemission From Metamaterial Junction: A Conjecture

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical possibility of spontaneous photon pair emission at a normal material-metamaterial junction due to quantum vacuum fluctuations, with a focus on mode mixing effects.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum field theory model to analyze spontaneous photoemission from a metamaterial junction, highlighting the role of mode mixing between positive and negative norm photon modes.

Findings

Spontaneous photon pair emission is theoretically possible at the junction.

The emission rate can be calculated considering mode mixing effects.

The study provides a framework for understanding quantum emission phenomena in metamaterials.

Abstract

The possibility of spontaneous photon pair emission from a normal material - metamaterial junction is investigated in a quantum field theory setting. We consider a pair of photons arising from vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field close to the junction where one photon each comes from the normal and metamaterial sectors. Mixing between the positive and negative norm photon modes can give rise to spontaneous photoemission, the rate of which is calculated.