DOC.
163
MAY 1909
123
phenomena
differs from the
theory
used
so
far.
If
we
could
only
understand
the
relation
e
=
hv
somehow!
In
this connection,
it is
of interest that
according
to
the
relativity
theory,
the
energy
(e)
and
frequency (v)
of
a
monochromatic
light complex
propagating
in
a
specific
direction
change
with
the
change
of
the
coordinate
system
in such
a manner
that
e/v
remains
constant.[5]
As
far
as
the
light
quanta
are
concerned,
it
seems
that
I did
not
express myself
clearly.
For
I
am
not at
all
of the
opinion
that
light
has to be
thought
of
as
being
composed
of
mutually independent quanta
localized in
relatively
small
spaces.
To be
sure,
this would be the
most
convenient
way
to
explain
the Wien
end of
the
radiation
formula.
But the
splitting
of
light rays
on
the
surfaces
of
refracting
media
already
makes
this
approach
absolutely
inadmissible.
A
light ray splits,
but
a
light
quantum
cannot
split
without
a
change
in
frequency.
I
enjoyed very
much
your
explanation
of the
difficulties
that
arise
for the
quantum
theory
from
the
phenomena
of interference
and
sharpness
of
image.
I
see
from
it how
acutely you
have
thought
about these
things
which have
already
given
me
such
a
headache.
As I said
already,
in
my
opinion
we
should not
even
think of
constructing
light
out
of
discrete,
mutually independent
points.
This
is, more or
less,
how
I
imagine
the
thing:
According
to Maxwell's
equations,
a wave process
propagating
in
a given
direction
that neither
extends into
infinity
perpendicularly to
its
direction of
propagation
nor
becomes infinite in
each
plane
of
equal phase
is out
of the
question. By
virtue of the
expansion
in all
directions,
the
energy
of each
wave
system
seeks to
expand over
larger
and
larger
volumes.
This
is
the feature
of
our
present theory
of
light
that
seems
to
me
to be
wrong.
Instead, I believe
that
the
light groups
around
singular[6]
points
in
a
way
similar to
what
we are
accustomed
to
assume
for
the
electrostatic
field.[7]
Thus,
I
think
of
a
single light
quantum
as a
point
surrounded
by a greatly
extended
vector field
that
somehow
decreases
with distance.
The
point is
a
singularity
without
which
the
vector
field
cannot
exist.
I
wouldn't
know to
say
whether
one
has to envision
a simple
superposition
of the
vector fields when
many
light
quanta
with
mutually
overlapping
fields
are
present.
In
any
case,
in
order
to
determine
the
processes
one
would also have
to have
equations
of motion
for the
singular
points
in
addition
to
the differential
equations
for
the
vector
field,
if
mathematical
singularities
are
introduced. The
energy
of
the
electromagnetic
field-at least
in
the
case
of
sufficiently
diffuse
radiation-should
be related, in
some way or
another,
to
the number of these
singular
points. Absorption
would
take
place
only
in association with
the
disappearance
of
such
a
singular point
or
degeneration
of the radiation
field
belonging
to this
point.[8] By
specifying
the
motions
of
all
singularities
one
would
completely
determine
the vector
field,
so
that the number
of
variables
necessary
for the
characterization of radiation
would be
finite.
In the
case
of the
decomposition
of
a ray
at
the
boundary
of
two
media
one
would have
to
assume
the formation of
new singular
points
and
the
disappearance
of those that
have
been
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