ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 17.1 Topological Perspective ........................................................................... 251 17.2 Down With Dogma ..................................................................................253 17.3 Can Photons Detect Vacuum Chirality? ............................................... 261
17.3.1 Details of Chiral Vacuum .......................................................... 265 Summary .............................................................................................................. 268 References ............................................................................................................ 268
At its foundations, Maxwell’s theory of electrodynamics, like thermodynamics, is a topological theory independent from geometric constraints of metric, scales, or gauge symmetries. One of the most interesting features of electromagnetism is its relationship to the transport of momentum and energy by means of photons. This article utilizes a topological perspective to discuss the features and concepts associated with photon, including spin, helicity and chirality.
