Results in Physics 16 (2020) 102866

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Results in Physics
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rinp

Rest mass of photon on the surface of matter T

⁎
Mahendra Goray, Ramesh Naidu Annavarapu
Department of Physics, School of Physical, Chemical and Applied Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605 014, India

A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T

Keywords: The behavior of a photon is strange. It possesses both wave nature and particle nature. Some experiments show
Illusive mass both behaviors of photons can exist simultaneously, while some other experiment state that both properties do
Morphing not co-exists simultaneously. According to electromagnetic theory, the rest mass of photon in free space is zero
Photon rest-mass and also photon has non-zero rest mass, as well as wavelength-dependent. The very recent experiment revealed
Space-time curvature
its non-zero value as 10−54 kg (5.610 × 10−25 MeV c−2) . Even experimental results concluded that within matter
Wavelength dependence
(dispersive) the photon shows its imaginary rest mass. We have no exact answer as to why photon incarnates
Wave-particle duality
itself with versatile mass. Here we try to theoretically investigate about the rest mass of a photon. When it
touches the surface of matter, it makes illusion and mathematically the rest mass is a complex number. Rest mass
of photon depends upon scalar curvature of the surface of matter and wavelength of the photon. Photon itself
reveals illusion posing with mass because of its dual nature. We have investigated the wave-particle duality of
light, coexistence of wave and particle nature through morphing due to pliable character of light wave. Our
theoretical work about the photon’s illusive mass will have to be experimentally verified and it might open
plausible new applications in the secure communication of information.

Introduction (wave-like) of photon does not carry information [21,22], ‘c’ has been
made constant for the “purpose of metrology” [13], based only on
Some of the physical laws of nature are very peculiar; especially Maxwell’s equation without any proof [12]. So this is not absolutely
whose velocity is nearly equal to the velocity of light in free space true which we have taken one of the fundamental laws of nature. Ac-
(quantum object). Light wave shows wave-particle duality theoretically cording to Electromagnetic theory the rest mass of light wave is zero,
[1–4] as well as experimentally [5–7] and vice versa material particle but there are so many theoretical and experimental approaches which
also shows dual nature but light wave and material wave is not same reveal that it is very small [1,13,23–27]. De-Broglie assumed that the
[1,4,8,9]. Wave-like and particle-like behavior of light wave depends rest mass of photon is about 10−54 kg (5.610 × 10−25 MeV c−2) [1]. Dif-
upon the experimental setup; what we want to see the form of light ferent types of experiments have been done which shows that rest mass
[5,6,10]. Wave and particle nature comes due to the interference of photon; by satellite measurement of earth’s magnetic field is
‘ability’ and ‘inability’ of photon respectively [5,6] although this is the 4 × 10−51 kg (2.244 × 10−21 MeV c−2) [24], low frequency parallel re-
adopted functional definition [6]. Both properties of light are coexist sonance circuits is 10−52 kg (5.610 × 10−23 MeV c−2) [25], solar wind
simultaneously through continuous morphing [5–7,10]. But according experiment is 1.5 × 10−54 kg (8.414 × 10−25 MeV c−2) [26]. Using the
to the complementary principle, both behavior of light does not co-exist frequency-dependent time delays in measurements of the dispersion
simultaneously [9]. According to the special theory of relativity, speed measures (DMs) of fast radio bursts (FRBs) on FRB 150418 and FRB
of light in vacuum (c) is constant and nothing can exceed the speed of 121102, the photon mass measured is 3.2 × 10−50 kg
light [11–14]. But various experimental and theoretical proposals state (1.795 × 10−20 MeV c−2) [28] and 3.9 × 10−50 kg (2.188 × 10−20 MeV c−2)
that faster than ‘c’ is possible [11–20]. Experimentally using anomalous [29] respectively. All these data are calculated indirectly. Experimental
dispersion nearby two Raman gain resonance line [11] and linear [15], verification is very difficult due to very light mass of light wave [26] and
nonlinear [16] gain lines; absorption line [17] and theoretically phase very large characteristic length (μ ν−1 = 2 × 1011 m) associated with the
velocity (wave-like) of photon within the wave guide [14], group ve- mass of photon [23]. However, photon has nonzero real mass, which
locity (super light velocity with matter) [19], speed of sound in ultra- depends on the wavelength of photon in free space [23,30–33] and
dense matter [20] are grater than ‘c’. Although the phase velocity inversely proportional to the wavelength when velocity of the photon
does not depends up on the wavelength i.e. constant velocity [31]. Even

⁎
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected] (R.N. Annavarapu).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinp.2019.102866
Received 17 October 2019; Received in revised form 22 November 2019; Accepted 7 December 2019
Available online 08 January 2020
2211-3797/ © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY-NC-ND/4.0/).
M. Goray and R.N. Annavarapu Results in Physics 16 (2020) 102866

experimentally, it has been shown that electromagnetic wave (photon) 2

vph
has an imaginary rest mass in the medium (dispersive) which is com- m1 = m (λ ) 1 − ,
c2 (7)
parable to electron-neutrino mass [34]. So photon has no fixed real
mass like other particles and objects, it can be zero and have real; where m (λ ) is the relativistic mass of photon and
imaginary value again. If we consider photon has finite mass then the m2 = m0′ R (8)
photon’s velocity ‘v’ (in particle form of light wave) must be less than ‘c’
[1,4,14,30,35–37], which is different from electron in classical mode where R is the scalar quantity. m depends upon each point on the
[34]. When light wave incident from vacuum into medium the phase surface of matter where the photon touches the matter. R is called Ricci
velocity of photon (wave-like velocity) depends on frequency [34], and scalar curvature [38,39]. R = g μνRμν , and μ, ν = x 0 , x 1, x 2 , x 3 are the
photon mass correspondingly depends on wavelength [23,26,30]. So, four dimensional space-time coordinates. g μν is the inverse metric
the wave-particle duality of light wave: particle velocity of a photon tensor. g μν = (cofactor of gμν in |g|)/|g| [39]. gμν is the fundamental
(v < c ) and non-zero photon mass are co-related i.e. wave-particle tensor or metric tensor and its determinant form is
duality of light says that when light wave has particle nature (non-zero g g … g1n
mass) and it has non-zero mass then its particle velocity is less than ‘c’ ⎡ 11 12 ⎤
⎢ g21 g22 ⋯ g2n ⎥
according to special theory of relativity m = m 0 / 1 − v 2/ c 2 otherwise |g| = ⎢
⋮ ⋮ ⋯ ⋮ ⎥
m → ∞ if v = c [35,36]. ⎢g g ⋯ gnn ⎥
⎣ n1 n2 ⎦
In this paper we have calculated the rest mass of photon when it
comes into contact with the surface of matter and tried to explain the and Rμν is the Ricci tensor which is the contraction form of Riemannian-
ρ
behaviour of photon. Christoffel curvature tensor Rμνσ [39,40].
ρ
Rμν= Rμνρ
Methods = ∂ν Γ ρμρ − ∂ρ Γ ρμν + Γ αμρ Γαν
ρ
− Γ αμν Γαρ
ρ

In free space, light wave (massless) of wavelength λ morphing (let Here we consider μ, ν = x 1, x 2 , x 3 are space coordinate part. Replacing
photon) according to wave-particle duality and constant velocity of R by I n , we get
photon is vph which is less than c [31] and falls into any surface of matter I n = g μνRμν (9)
and in this situation (contact with surface of matter) velocity of photon
(particle-like) is cp and corresponding matter wave (wave-like) velocity From Eq. (8), m0′ is the rest mass of photon when it touches the
of photon is c w , wavelength λp , frequency νp , rest mass m 0 which de- surface of the matter which depends upon the wavelength (λp ) corre-
pends upon velocity which depend on wavelength λ in free space sponding velocity c w (wave-like) at the time of when light incident from
[23,26]; and λp within matter [34]. Rest mass energy of photon [1] free space. As rest mass of photon within the medium is imaginary [34],
E = hνp and E = m 0 c 2 then the frequency becomes here we have considered the wave-like velocity of photon c w for cal-
culating m0′ which is obtained as follows.
m0 c 2
νp = m0′ = m′ (λp) 1 − c2w 2 , where m′ (λp) is the relativistic mass of the
h (1) c
photon.
and momentum of photon p = m 0 cp , and hence according to de Broglie
m′ (λp)
hypothesis [4] its wavelength becomes ∴ m0′= c
−1(c w2 − c 2)
h m′ (λp)
λp = =i c
c w2 − c 2
m 0 cp (2)
substituting the value of c w from Eq. (5) we get
and wave-like velocity (phase velocity) of photon according to the
frequency wavelength relation is given by m′ (λp) Ep2
=i − c2
c m02 cp2
c w = νp λp (3)
m′ (λp) Ep2
=i c −1
Substitution of Eqs. (1) and (2) in Eq. (3) gives c m0 cp2 c 2
2

EP2
c 2 = cp c w (4) = im′ (λp) − 1,
Eg2

Here cp < c [1,4,14], hence c w > c [14,21]. Now energy of photon on

where Eg = m 0 cp c . So,
the surface of matter, using Eq. (4) can be written as
Ep = m 0 cp c w (5) m0′ = im′ (λp) Ei2 − 1 , (10)

Same proof can be obtained from reference [1] “group velocity where Ei = Ep/ Eg > 1 as c w > c . By substituting Eqs. (9) and (10) in Eq.
U = βc ” and “phase velocity V = (c / β ) ” where “β = (v / c ) ”. Now UV = c 2 (8), we get
as U < c hence V > c so, cp ≡ U and c w ≡ V . m2 = im′ (λp) Ei2 − 1 g μνRμν (11)

Computations and results Now substituting Eq. (11), Eqs. (9) and (7) in Eq. (6) gives
2
vph
Now let the rest mass of photon (particle form) when it comes into m = m (λ ) 1 − + im′ (λp) I n Ei2 − 1
c2
contact with the surface of matter from free space is the linear com-
bination of two terms due to velocity of photon (vph ≈ cp ) for free space m = m x + im y , (12)
and surface of the matter.
2
where m x = m (λ ) 1 − (vph / c 2) and m y = m′ (λp) I n Ei2 − 1 and in free
m = m1 + m2 (6)
space Rμν = 0 then I n = 0 and hence m = m x only. Hence
Here m1 is the rest mass which depends upon velocity corresponding 2
m 0 (λ ) = m (λ ) 1 − (vph /c 2)
wavelength as mention earlier.

2
M. Goray and R.N. Annavarapu Results in Physics 16 (2020) 102866

m0 influence the work reported in this paper.

⇒ m (λ ) =
2
1 − (vph /c 2 )
Acknowledgements
This is the relativistic mass equation of moving photon (particle
form) in free space. It can morph to light (wave form) posing with zero One of the author M.G wants to acknowledge CSIR-UGC for pro-
rest mass, vice versa light wave can morph to photon (particle form) viding scholarship.
[11–13]. The rest mass depends upon the wavelength in free space and
photon (particle) when comes in contact with the surface of matter, Appendix A. Supplementary data
shows complex rest mass which depends up on the wavelength as well as
scalar curvature of the surface and can be manifested as imaginary rest Supplementary data associated with this article can be found, in the
mass within the medium (dispersive) [34]. online version, athttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinp.2019.102866.

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