Ginzburg effect in a dielectric medium with dispersion and dissipation

Abstract

As a quantum analog of Cherenkov radiation, an inertial photon detector moving through a medium with constant refractive index $n$ may perceive the electromagnetic quantum fluctuations as real photons if its velocity $v$ exceeds the medium speed of light $c/n$. For dispersive Hopfield type media, we find this Ginzburg effect to extend to much lower $v$ because the phase velocity of light is very small near the medium resonance. In this regime, however, dissipation effects become important. Via an extended Hopfield model, we present a consistent treatment of quantum fluctuations in dispersive and dissipative media and derive the Ginzburg effect in such systems. Finally, we propose an experimental test.

11 pages, significantly extended version; with additional details on the pathway of dissipation (and comparisons to existing models) and on the scenario of fast atoms moving close to a medium