Residual gauge theory for quanta of surface plasmons

TL;DR

This paper introduces a gauge-theoretical approach to surface plasmon quanta, revealing residual gauge symmetry's role in physical constraints and energy dissipation, with implications for light-matter entanglement in various materials.

Contribution

It develops a novel quantum electrodynamics-based gauge framework for surface plasmons, emphasizing residual gauge symmetry's physical significance and its effects across different material systems.

Findings

Residual gauge symmetry constrains physical states.

Presence of a latent transverse electric mode.

Surface plasmon quanta can sustain light-matter entanglement.

Abstract

We develop a gauge-theoretical framework to investigate the quanta of surface plasmons. Our formulation, based on quantum electrodynamics, highlights the importance of residual gauge symmetry. We emphasize that residual gauge symmetry, which imposes constraint equations on physical states, is fundamentally linked to Joule heating. This framework is applied to metals, semiconductors, and quantum Hall states, suggesting the presence of a latent transverse electric mode and that the quanta have the ability to maintain light-matter entanglement.