Abstract

The standard description of electromagnetic radiation combines classical electrodynamics with the quantum hypothesis that electromagnetic energy is emitted and absorbed in discrete quanta. The mathematical formulation of modern quantum field theory assumes that time is a continuous parameter.

1. Introduction

The discovery that electromagnetic radiation is quantized represents one of the foundational developments of modern physics. The quantum of electromagnetic energy introduced by Max Planck and interpreted as the photon by Albert Einstein forms the basis of contemporary quantum electrodynamics (QED).

In the prevailing theoretical framework, the temporal evolution of physical systems is assumed to occur continuously. The equations governing particle motion, electromagnetic fields, and quantum wave functions are formulated in terms of differential equations defined with respect to continuous time.

The present work examines an alternative starting point based on the hypothesis that time itself may possess a discrete structure.