Atoms as Singular Photonic Crystals
Group theoretic expressions of optical singularities in photonic crystals
by Wheeldon, Jeffrey F., Ph.D., University of Ottawa (Canada), 2009, 268 pages; AAT NR51824
(PDF costs 37.00 USD for members of academic institutions.)
I contacted Jeffrey Wheeldon, and he seemed interested that his work could be relevant in that way. However, I’m not sure anything will come of the connection. Regardless, it so happens that Maxwell actually published a “molecular vortex model” which was later refined in his “On the Physical Lines of Force,” so the father of E/M has already opened the door.
This resonates with several viewpoints I sometimes think about: the wave structure of matter (atoms from waves), the conveyance of angular momentum (photons) among singularities (hearts of atoms), and others.
So I pose a question (thesis topic anyone?): “Would a 3-D extension of Wheeldon’s 2-D treatment of singularities in linear photonic crystals correspond to a structure of matter?” The scope would require much refinement.
While the claim may be a stretch for anyone, perhaps even Dr. Wheeldon, the applicability of group theory to the conditions on optical vortices in in photonic crystals just screams “standard model” to me. We shall see…