How is specular light reflection from, for example a metallic surface, modeled by quantum mechanics?
For transmission and absorption of radiation, I understand how the wave functions of the band structure can be used to calculate a dielectric function and conductivity of the medium, but I've never seen reflection investigated.
I know also that one can calculate an index of refraction from the dielectric function and that gives you a reflection coefficient. But I'm more interested in how a EM wave interacts with the crystalline atomic system and gets reflected. The physical process, if you will.
For instance, I've read where the reflected wave is just re-emitted radiation from the surface. So does that mean that when the EM wave interacts with the atoms on the surface, taking a QM approach and using time dependent perturbation theory, one can show that the electrons of those atoms are now in a superposition of states that - and here is where it gets confusing for me - re-radiate, or scatter, the EM at the correct angle?
