Light experiences dielectric matter as an effective gravitational field and matter experiences light as a form of gravity as well. Light and matter waves experience each other as dual space-time metrics, thus establishing a unique model in field theory. Actio et reactio are governed by Abraham’s energy-momentum tensor and equations of state for quantum dielectrics.

• Received 27 January 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.62.012111