The Origin of Quantum Nature of Light in Maxwell's Equations: Cheyney-Supported Research Revolutionises Perspective on Light

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LITLINGTON, England, July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent research article backed by Cheyney Design and Development, a leader in X-ray inspection and imaging technologies, presents a revolutionary perspective on the nature of light. The article, published in Annals of Physics (an Elsevier journal) by Dr. Dhiraj Sinha, a faculty member at Plaksha University, shows that Einstein's theory of photons has its origins in Maxwell's electromagnetic fields. It dismantles a century-old scientific belief that photons are not physically linked to electromagnetic field theory pioneered by the great Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell. The research is based on a prior discovery on electromagnetic radiation published in Physical Review Letters, which was funded by Cheyney. It offered a unified theoretical framework on radiation from radio to optical frequencies while using the argument that radiation is generated due to the broken symmetry of the electromagnetic field. It serves as a testimony to the company's commitment to nurturing transformational scientific discoveries.

The physical nature of light is an intriguing scientific mystery as it behaves like a wave in free space and as a particle when it interacts with matter. The theoretical work on light as an electromagnetic wave by Maxwell in 1865 was empirically validated by Heinrich Hertz in 1887. However, the broad scientific consensus on light was shattered within a decade. Experiments on the photoelectric effect where electrons are generated as light strikes a metal contradicted Maxwell's theory on light. Albert Einstein in 1905 presented the heuristic argument that light can be considered to be made of particles or photons with energy proportional to its frequency. It could explain the empirical observation that energy of electrons is linearly dependent on the frequency of light in the photoelectric effect. The idea found acceptance and the dual nature of light forms the current basis of our phenomenological interpretation of light.

Dr. Sinha has attempted to transform the century-old belief by showing that Maxwell's electromagnetic field theory can explain the interaction between light and electrons. The recent article highlights the role of time varying magnetic field of light, which generates an electric potential in space. Dr. Sinha argues that an electron is energised by the electric potential of light, which is mathematically defined as dj/dt where j is the magnetic flux of radiation and t is time. It implies that the net energy transfer to an electron of charge e is W=edj/dt. Transforming the expression of energy to frequency domain or phasor representation gives the energy of an electron as ejw, where w is angular frequency of light. Dr. Sinha argues that it is similar to Einstein's expression for the energy of a photon ħw, where ħ is reduced Planck's constant. Thus, light energises electrons according to the Maxwell-Faraday equation of classical electromagnetism. The theoretical framework finds support from experimental observations on magnetic flux quantisation in superconducting loops and two-dimensional electron gas systems. The fact that the quantum nature of light has origins in Maxwell's electromagnetic fields is revolutionary.

A number of physicists have come out in support of Dr. Sinha. Richard Muller, Professor of Physics at University of California Berkeley, and Faculty Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, commented, "The ideas are intriguing and they address the most fundamental of the unexplained issues of quantum physics including the particle/wave duality and the meaning of measurement." Jorge Hirsch, professor of physics at University of California, San Diego wrote a letter of support to the editorial board members. Steven Verrall, former faculty member at University of Wisconsin La Crosse said, "Dr. Sinha provides a new semiclassical approach to modelling quantum systems. I also think that his unique approach may ultimately add valuable insights to the continued development of semiclassical effective field theories in low energy physics." Lawrence Horwitz, professor emeritus at the University of Tel Aviv pointed, "This article is indeed a valuable contribution to the theory of photons and electrons." 

Dr. Sinha's discovery offers a novel theoretical pathway towards developing integrated radio and photonic devices by seamlessly merging the principles of classical electromagnetism into modern photonic devices. It will have far-reaching consequences on technologies like solar cells, lasers and light emitting diodes which exclusively rely on the principles of quantum mechanics. It creates a completely new orbit and transformative pathway towards new radio and photonics technologies.

Dr. Dhiraj Sinha added, "The work started during my doctoral years at the University of Cambridge and early support from Cheyney was critical. It took a transformational turn during my postdoctoral work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The empirical results obtained through extensive experiments across a broad spectrum of radio and optical frequencies led to the discovery of the missing theoretical link between the ideas of Einstein and Maxwell."

Additional Information

1. Sinha, D. Electrodynamic excitation of electrons. Annals of Physics, 473, 169893 (2025).
2. Sinha, D. & Amaratunga, G. A. Electromagnetic radiation under explicit symmetry breaking. Physical review letters, 114, 147701 (2015).

About Cheyney Design & Development Ltd

Cheyney Design & Development Ltd, Litlington, UK, founded by Richard Parmee, is at the forefront of innovations in X-ray inspection technology. Its patented, cutting-edge technology and advanced stochastic algorithms position it as a technical leader in the X-ray inspection arena. Cheyney is dedicated to supporting early-stage innovations with transformative potential in science and engineering.

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