Dynamically assisted pair production in subcritical potential step and particle--anti-particle interpretations

Abstract

Particle--anti-particle interpretation under spatially inhomogeneous external fields within the framework of quantum field theory is a nontrivial problem. In this paper, we focus on the two interpretations established in [Phys. Rev. D 93, 045002 (2016)] and [Prog. Theor. Exp. Phys. 2022, 073B02 (2022)], both of which give consistent results of vacuum instability and pair production. To shed light on their differences, a pair production under a potential step assisted by a weak and oscillating electric field is discussed. It is shown that the potential step and the oscillating field, each insufficient for vacuum decay, can produce pairs when combined. In addition, the two pictures give rise to quantitative differences in the number of created pairs at the second-order perturbation of the oscillating field. It might provide a clue to investigate the correct particle--anti-particle interpretation by comparing the result with numerical simulations or experiments.

References in corpus (18)

• Chiral tunneling and the Klein paradox in graphene
• Advances in QED with intense background fields
• Dynamically assisted Schwinger mechanism
• Worldline Instantons II: The Fluctuation Prefactor
• Momentum signatures for Schwinger pair production in short laser pulses with a sub-cycle structure
• The Stokes Phenomenon and Schwinger Vacuum Pair Production in Time-Dependent Laser Pulses
• The Schwinger mechanism and graphene
• Interference Effects in Schwinger Vacuum Pair Production for Time-Dependent Laser Pulses
• Improved Approximations for Fermion Pair Production in Inhomogeneous Electric Fields
• Effective Action of QED in Electric Field Backgrounds
• Out-of-equilibrium criticalities in graphene superlattices
• Exact WKB analysis of the vacuum pair production by time-dependent electric fields
• Momentum distribution of particles created in space-time-dependent colliding laser pulses
• Effects of finite spatial extent on Schwinger pair production
• Finite pulse effects on $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ pair creation from strong electric fields
• Exact Pair Production Rate for a Smooth Potential Step
• Particle production at a finite potential step: Transition from Euler-Heisenberg to Klein paradox
• Vacuum decay and fermion total reflection by the Klein step