The Quantum Foundation of Light Spectra
Every flicker of light carries a hidden order—governed not by chance alone, but by quantum rules that define how photons interact and emit. This article explores how quantum mechanics shapes the spectral fingerprints of light, from the probabilistic dance of photons to the precise symmetry of emission patterns, illustrated by real-world phenomena like Starburst’s radiant glow.
The Quantum Foundation of Light SpectraAt the core lies **Kolmogorov complexity**—a measure of information content—applied to light signals. Light is not random noise but structured information: each photon carries discrete energy quanta tied to transitions between atomic states. Quantum mechanics imposes fundamental limits—no continuous spectrum exists at the quantum level. Instead,