Magnetic Control of the Pair Creation in Spatially Localized Supercritical Fields

Q. Su, W. Su, Q. Z. Lv, M. Jiang, X. Lu, Z. M. Sheng, and R. Grobe

Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 253202 – Published 21 December 2012

Abstract

We examine the impact of a perpendicular magnetic field on the creation mechanism of electron-positron pairs in a supercritical static electric field, where both fields are localized along the direction of the electric field. In the case where the spatial extent of the magnetic field exceeds that of the electric field, quantum field theoretical simulations based on the Dirac equation predict a suppression of pair creation even if the electric field is supercritical. Furthermore, an arbitrarily small magnetic field outside the interaction zone can bring the creation process even to a complete halt, if it is sufficiently extended. The mechanism for this magnetically induced complete shutoff can be associated with a reopening of the mass gap and the emergence of electrically dressed Landau levels.

Received 17 August 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.253202

Authors & Affiliations

Q. Su^1,5, W. Su², Q. Z. Lv², M. Jiang¹, X. Lu¹, Z. M. Sheng³, and R. Grobe^4,5

¹Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
²State Key Laboratory for GeoMechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China
³Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas and Department of Physics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
⁴Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
⁵Intense Laser Physics Theory Unit and Department of Physics, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois 61790-4560, USA