Spintronics Community Forum

Phonon Physics of Mechanical Action

Theory
#1

Just as a Photon is a quantum of light, and Electron a quantum of electricity, a Phonon is a quantum of mechanical action. These are particle model approximations of their respective fields.

Simple electronic circuits are treated “classically” as continuous analog media, but in more advanced versions are aptly quantified as countable oscillations and digital logic. Similarly, Spintronics ™ embody phonon physics analogous to electronics and photonics.

This Topic is to further explore the fertile analogy Paul Boswell has brilliantly embodied in the Spintronics educational game, and where it may lead.

#2

Given that, by convention, a clockwise spin of a sprocket is defined as positive charge, does a Phonon have a charge, or does it instead have a spin?

#3

Phonons have all the properties allowed to a quasiparticle, including charge and spin as needed. Charge is negative or positive (tensile or compressive) inertial-elastic energy. Phonon spin applies to rotational handedness (clockwise or anticlockwise; “up” or “down” in particle physics).

Further, sprocket rotations and teeth are countable quanta, and even non-rotating oscillations are abstract countable rotations in phase-space.