Speaker
Description
Strong-field quantum electrodynamics is the epitome of what happens when a quantum many-body system is pushed to the extreme. It tests our understanding of non-equilibrium physics, fundamental particle physics and everything we think we know about emergent phenomena and collective dynamics [1]. In particular, identifying the formation time of an electron-positron pair within a background field remains a challenge [2,3].
We propose a new interpretation of the time evolution of a quantum system in which the quantum vacuum is driven out of equilibrium by strong electromagnetic fields, creating massive particles in the process [4]. As a demonstration, we show a particle distribution at finite times where we identify the time scales relevant for particle formation, in particular for the Schwinger effect. In this context, the merits of quantum transport theories, and in particular the Wigner formalism as a quantum kinetic theory, are discussed [5,6].
[1] C. Kohlfürst, N. Ahmadiniaz, J. Oertel, and R. Schützhold, Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 241801 (2022).
[2] A. Ilderton, Phys. Rev. D 105, 016021 (2022).
[3] C. Gong, Q. Su, and R. Grobe, Phys. Rev. A 109, 013102 (2024).
[4] M. Diez, R. Alkofer, and C. Kohlfürst, Phys. Lett. B 844, 138063 (2023).
[5] D. Vasak, M. Gyulassy and H.T. Elze, Ann. Phys. (N.Y.) 173, 462 (1987).
[6] I. Bialynicki-Birula, P. Górnicki, and J. Rafelski, Phys. Rev. D 44, 1825 (1991).
