This report is all about the photon packet, whereas each and every directed and/or reflected photon is essentially being transported along as transferred from atom to atom, sort of a packet node hand-off, doing such by not necessarily penetrating the core atom. Even though the atom is 99.999999999999% (1e-14) empty space, much like a given galaxy has been considered as 99.9999999% (1e-9) empty space, and that of the sphere of a solar system zone might be thought of as 99.999999999999% (1e-14) empty, whereas much like the Oort zone that has recently been associated with our solar system having been thought of as extending out 3 light years, a somewhat atomic Oort zone or "region of Coulomb influence" must coexist as well for the atom.

This atomic Oort zone makes for the emptiness of the greater atom influence somewhat infinite, or perhaps the ideal packet node if you well, whereas each atom Oort zone acts somewhat like a photon FIFO amplifier that's also providing a directional continuity aspect, that is unless there are simply too many such atoms having unobstructed Oort zones by which a given photon pack can enter and re-emerge without being absorbed and/or deflected.

http://wine1.sb.fsu.edu/chm1045/notes/Struct/Quantum/Struct02.htm
"Quantum Effects and Photons; Energy can be released (or absorbed) by atoms only in "packets" of some minimum size..."

Since the actual diameter or cross sectional size of a given length or wavelength of photon is relatively small and thereby of negligible mass with respect to that of an atom, it only seems highly beneficial that in order for such photons to so efficiently coexist throughout space, along with such relatively massive atoms, that of such comparatively heavyweight atoms must somehow accommodate photons as a matter of fact, and not otherwise as so happenstance as QD or QED suggest.

This photo seems to offer a dimension of considerable length but not that of actual volume, somewhat of a 1D concept that needs to successfully interact throughout an extremely dense 3D environment, as such the photon represents hardly any mass, in fact some folks still consider and/or insist the photon as having zero mass (however that's mostly because their theory of quantum electrodynamics would be "in big trouble" because of some loss of gauge invariance), even though quantum strings have been suggested as for their having mass, though somewhat infinitesimally slight.

Instead of the 1e-51 g, there's a somewhat newer and perhaps more accurate photon mass estimate of 5.81e-66 g:
http://www.signaldisplay.com/relativity.html
Mass-Photon = 5.81e-66 g or 3.23e-33 eV

Understandably, those folks of QD (quantum dynamics) or QED (quantum electro dynamics) of those General Relativity or die groups, they are never going to be all that pleased with this assertion of mass, that of something as fundamental to our existence as the photon having mass simply isn't one of their options. As even though the consensus of quantum strings are having mass, then photons must follow suit. As such their previous QD assertions and subsequent calculations tend to go right back into the space toilet, along with all of their skewed Apollo moon physics (meaning tax dollar suck-up morals).

To consider a 500 nm wavelength of photon represents an atomic length of nearly 5000 atoms worth, though such a photon might represent a mass of merely 1e-51 g or less, of which I believe such a 500 nm photon could thereby span or link atom by atom through a void of relatively few such atoms, spanning gaps that might have otherwise contained <5000 atoms. Though because a photon offers so darn little mass, the association to that of what an atom imposes as a terrifically strong commanding attraction upon that of any given photon, of which the photon is thereby easily captured (I'll assume accelerated towards a given atom) by a rather huge factor of utilizing a much greater radius than those of mere protons/electrons.

Instead of having an physical atom radius limitation of 0.53e-10, I believe the photon capture zone (atomic Oort zone if you like) offers a somewhat greater radius that might be considered as extending out to at least as great as .53e-2 (5.3 mm), 100 million fold greater radius or that of a 10.6e-3 (10.6 mm) photon capture zone diameter per atom, thus such atom to atom hand-off and each subsequent capture and subsequent hand-off by the next and so on continues to provide this viable packet transport mechanism, even where such few atoms might exist. This photon capture and through-pass transport or cast-off zone that's surrounding the atom might be somewhat of an analogy to the likes of a vast Kuiper belt or that of those expansive Oort clouds, whereas the further appart such atoms exist, the greater this effective Oort zone becomes.

Might a sufficient concentration of photons attract and/or link few atoms ?

The less a photon weighs the better off the packet throughput potential becomes, especially as within a more absolute vacuum, whereas the UV photon for example is simply quite a bit more energetic and thus more substance penetrating as opposed to the much larger or longer IR spectrum photon. Although, if this wavelength gets too short and/or the density of those atoms in between becomes too great (such as for being that of a fluid or solid) as to effectively block the atom by atom hand-off process, whereas this obviously creates the expected loss of node to node packet transference, as reduced, deflected and/or entirely blocked packet throughput. So, unless the photon energy itself somehow manages to attract or draw upon by aligning what few atoms there are of a given near absolute vacuum, as into a sufficient chain-link of atoms, or otherwise via sufficient beam intensity as to somehow altering those atoms that reside within the intended photon pathway, such as when any good laser cannon attempts to blast it's way through by taking place as essentially a thermal energy release.

In other words, a m3 void containing as few as 1e6 atoms (1 atom/cc) might do quite nicely for providing the necessary cluster or string of atom to atom packet relay nodes, whereas per cc (photon in) = (photon out), each atom acting as sort of an amplifier or self motivated centrifugal mass driver as for accepting and/or capturing a photon and subsequently flinging each of these photons along it's way at exactly 180º from it's point of entry, which seems like the proper sort of agenda for atoms to be doing.

Therefore, a given photon of 500 nm (500e-9 m) could easily be handed off, atom by atom with little if any loss in energy, and of nothing otherwise gained nor loss per atom. Somewhat of an effective through-pass centrifuge or LINIAC transport affect.

Obviously as for photons having to penetrate the likes of solids, as such having to deal with way too many of those closely packed atoms, and/or of those atoms having too many electrons/protons, as such any laser generated and thereby directed photons will be having to make due without being allowed the benefit of an efficient pathway of a packet hand-offs of any given photon that's continually atempting to exit at exactly 180º from it's point of entry, thus an undesirable interaction that results in the release of energy (namely heat) transpires, at the ultimate demise of the photon packet. I'm therefore thinking that of the fewer electrons/protons and perhaps even the fewer atoms/cc (at least down to the prospect of containing one atom/cc) the better off as for accommodating a brisk packet atom/node-by-atom/node transference.

Photon analogy 101;
If there's supposedly room for roughly 10 atoms/nm, and if our scale were to be altered so as Earth represented the diameter of that individual atom, and as for accommodating a 500 nm photon snake or string like (one wavelength) element that's capable of spanning as much as 5000 atoms, or in this instance of spanning 5000 Earths as representing those atoms;

5e3*12.756e6 meters = 63.78e9 meters (that's 166 times the distance to the moon, or nearly 40 million miles as being further than Venus).

Although the diameter or body of this extremely long photon element might still not represent 1 nm, and since the photon is supposedly at least 1e-27:1 less massive than the atom (otherwise suggested as 5.81e-66 or even as zero mass), as such the overall worth of photon mass at most becomes 6 g in relationship to the Earth mass of 5.97e27 g. Thus if the moon were that other atom, it would certainly be well within atom to atom photon node transference range, as in fact at times the likes of Venus or even Mars could become that other atom that's within range, with all the space in between representing absolutely nothing whatsoever.

If you've got other improvements and/or corrections (much like I just managed another math correction on behalf of the above analogy) as for our furthering this photon/atom node consideration, I'd certainly like very much to hear whatever that is, that's either more correct and/or of offering somewhat of an alternative to this understanding of why the greater efficiency and thereby proficiency of photons should or shouldn't be utilized for the likes of interplanetary communications.

It's obviously not that radio doesn't work, it's that radio doesn't work in every instance as neither can photons accomplish absolutely everything necessary. But that photons require the absolute least technology if any, and the biological perception of detecting a photon packet can certainly be considered as far more universal and inter-species compatible, whereas in some environments it would be hard to avoid creating photons by natural as well as biological means, while the prospects of others accomplishing radio can be difficult if not nearly impossible.

Photons are simply far better at accomplishing their range/joule, and especially a whole lot safer than our physically having to go to such places we probably don't belong, nor having to invest such enormous talents, time and resources when photon packets are literally as fast as light, extremely energy efficient, requiring far less technology than anything radio, and remain fully compatible of accommodating a composite of the intended information which may include intense quantum packet data, as well as for such interplanetary communications being the utmost inter-species and thereby directly biologically compatible means, of otherwise requiring the least receiving technology of all forms of communications, short of nearby hearing by way of detecting an extremely limited spectrum of acoustical waves which offer a range of zilch as compared to the photon, of which we still can't manage to understand 99.999% of what's being audibly communicated right here on Earth, much less of some ET life.

Photons impose not 1% the overall technology demand upon what the likes of radio requires for transmitting and/or receiving over such great distances, whereas photons do sufficiently well at managing their progression through otherwise RF filtering and the distortions of electrolytic barriers, as being represented by those clouds of Venus. Obviously there are photon limits, but there are equally photon advantages.

Anything radio actually sucks, unless the receiving party has some specific knowledge of when and from where, plus knows the transmitted frequency, along with having all the necessary degree of applied electronics technology as to detect and demodulate, much less decode, whereas the chances are that even a primitive biologically perceived photon packet will be detected firstly and understood as being artificial long before the RF method gets noticed, if ever, and much less understood. I can't speak for all others but, when I first open my eyes and take in the complexity that's visually acquired within the first second worth of my detecting all the photons surrounding my environment, I'd have to conclude that my perception and brain has somehow managed to process and record at least a terabyte within that first second, and more so terabytes per second are of what's necessary when my eyes are experiencing a good number of colorful and of fast moving items. It seems like 3d (depth) plus nearly infinite color and nearly infinite contrast values per pixel are performing as somewhat of a biological format of a qubit packet.

A few of the more recent pages suggesting upon the obvious of what's really so nasty and spendy about space travel besides the horrific radiation aspects, as for indicating what I believe is that we should perhaps abandon such spendy and potentially lethal notions of physical travel, as opposed to the overall biological safety and sanity of using photons as a composite signal of common and quantum packets. Then to consider personally traveling about only if and when we should get a reply and/or a request for some visitation rights, as otherwise we should leave such places well enough alone. Just because it's technically possible for us to dive into the sun, this isn't such a good idea if it's my butt that's on that craft.
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/gv-bump.htm
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/laser-com.htm
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/radio-maybe.htm
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/gv-illumination.htm
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/gv-interplanetary.htm

If we simply need a darn good and detailed look-see at some other planet, for that aspect we've needed those robotic modules of SAR receiving apertures situated on the moon, of which could have been robotically deployed as of decades ago, and for not on cent on the dollar as compared to Hubble which simply can't see squat of what actually matters to humanity:
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/moon-sar.htm

Closing rant:
Learning from the likes of team NASA that there was once upon a time life to behold upon Mars, this is almost like learning that water is wet, as in "duh no kidding folks", whereas I'd actually have been amazed if they had discovered absolutely no such indications of life existence.
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/gv-sirius-diatoms.htm

With the likelihood of our solar system coming within essentially a near miss with the likes of the Sirius Kuiper Belt and Oort debris zone within a 110,000 year cycle, and from obtaining that truly nifty resource of near UV and fully UV illumination that was certainly capable of improvising upon a good number of life options, as for all sorts of life to have emerged, existed and even flourished upon Mars, whereas for Earth it merely improved and/or accelerated upon what we already had going, and as such cycled our levels of CO2 by offering thousands of years worth of faster and more extensive growth cycles (such as those of diatoms) and as such cutting the levels of global CO2 nearly in half.

So as for the likelihood of planets like Mars becoming sufficiently thawed and subsequently chuck full of all sorts of life shouldn't have been any surprise.

For the likes of our NASA to knowing be excluding the rights of humanity from all the opportunities associated with Venus, and of their continually ignoring the likely reality of other life thats' been existing on Venus has been exactly like their having to support our administration as for going after those WMD, as in their hugging another of those "so what's the difference" policies, along with accommodating all sorts of dog wagging and subsequent "spin" and "damage control" in order to justify all the truly unfortunate carnage, instead of honestly dealing with the truth that hurts, so that we might have learned of what not to do in the future.

Unfortunately, this level of their tactical avoidance of the issues at hand has been our government at it's typical ignorance, forcing Americans into another no-win level of arrogance, then wondering why there's become so many folks that do not trust nor favor our intentions, as lies only beget lies and there's simply no end in sight. Only the threat of more cruise missiles and/or the shock and awe of truly devastating WMD under the lose cannon commands of America and those of American interest, of which has not been honestly focused upon equality nor all that much of humanity if the truth be known.

Calling Venus (if we're not being allowed to officially look at Venus, much less even discuss the possibilities, then it certainly can't hurt our focusing a few laser cannons upon it);
If you're perchance the sort of individual that's more interested in the truly viable prospects of our achieving interplanetary communications (contacting ETs without utilizing radio), as for that relatively simple and extremely efficient quest, I've added lots of notions, if not a little too much quantum packet information into this following page;
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/gv-interplanetary.htm

Here's some of the latest deliveries upon what other is new, and of what's certainly hot, as offering a bit more than you may need to know of what my three brain cells can deliver on behalf of Sirius lizard folk terraforming the likes of Mars, Earth and Venus.
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/gv-earth-venus.htm
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/synchronized-moon.htm
https://guthvenus.tripod.com/gv-sirius-trek.htm
Cost or Consequences is merely offering yet another vantage point or perspective.
Of lizard folk from Sirius terraforming the likes of Earth might be asking a bit much.
Cometh the ice ages, right on a Sirius schedule, every 110,000 years, at least until mankind came along.
The likes of carbon life on Sirius/c, Venus and even Mars should have their fair share of diatoms.
Of what goes bump in the night that could seriously kill you, as in knocking your block off before you ever realized what hit you.