2012/07/31 by H. Kleinert, Hagen Kleinert, She-Sheng Xue · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Atomic and Molecular Physics #Atomic physics #Boson #Cold Fusion and Nuclear Reactions #Electric field #Electromagnetic field #Electromagnetic radiation #Electron #Field (mathematics) #Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics #Pair production #Physics #Plasma #Quantum #Quantum electrodynamics #Quantum mechanics #Semiclassical physics #WKB approximation #hep-th #physics.plasm-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.aop.2013.02.012
published as Annals of Physics 333 (2013) 104 · 31 pages, 4 figures. The revised version to appear in the journal Annals of Physics. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:0807.0909, arXiv:0910.0974
openalex publication_date 2013/03/01 · arxiv created 2013/03/25 · arxiv updated 2015/09/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Using semiclassical WKB-methods, we calculate the rate of electron-positron pair-production from the vacuum in the presence of two external fields, a strong (space- or time-dependent) classical field and a monochromatic electromagnetic wave. We discuss the possible medium effects on the rate in the presence of thermal electrons, bosons, and neutral plasma of electrons and protons at a given temperature and chemical potential. Using our rate formula, we calculate the rate enhancement due to a laser beam, and discuss the possibility that a significant enhancement may appear in a plasma of electrons and protons with self-focusing properties.