Quantum theory of light propagation: Linear medium

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Abstract
We have developed a quantum-mechanical formalism which permits the treatment of light propagation within the conceptual framework of quantum optics. The formalism rests on the calculation of the momentum operator for the radiation field, and yields directly a description for the spatial progression of the electromagnetic waves. In this paper we give a quantum-mechanical treatment for refraction and reflection by applying our formalism to propagation through a linear dielectric. The fidelity with which this formalism reproduces all results known from classical optics demonstrates its validity.