Dielectric black holes induced by a refractive index perturbation and the Hawking effect

TL;DR

This paper models photon production in a dielectric medium with a superluminal refractive index perturbation, demonstrating a Hawking-like effect observable both in analogue and laboratory frames, with optical dispersion limiting the emission bandwidth.

Contribution

It introduces a 4D model linking refractive index perturbations to Hawking radiation, incorporating optical dispersion effects for the first time.

Findings

Hawking-like photon emission predicted in dielectric media

Effective geometry analysis confirms analogue Hawking effect

Optical dispersion constrains the emission bandwidth

Abstract

We consider a 4D model for photon production induced by a %superluminal refractive index perturbation in a dielectric medium. We show that, in this model, we can infer the presence of a Hawking type effect. This prediction shows up both in the analogue Hawking framework, which is implemented in the pulse frame and relies on the peculiar properties of the effective geometry in which quantum fields propagate, as well as in the laboratory frame, through standard quantum field theory calculations. Effects of optical dispersion are also taken into account, and are shown to provide a limited energy bandwidth for the emission of Hawking radiation.