Quantum radiation by electrons in lasers and the Unruh effect

TL;DR

This paper explores quantum radiation emitted by electrons in laser fields, highlighting the suppression of quantum effects compared to classical radiation, and explains the phenomenon using the Unruh effect.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of quantum radiation emission by electrons in laser fields and connects it to the Unruh effect, providing a simplified intuitive explanation.

Findings

Quantum electron radiation can emit entangled photon pairs.

Quantum effects are suppressed relative to classical Larmor radiation.

The process is explained via the Unruh effect in a simplified model.

Abstract

In addition to the Larmor radiation known from classical electrodynamics, electrons in a laser field may emit pairs of entangled photons -- which is a pure quantum effect. We investigate this quantum effect and discuss why it is suppressed in comparison with the classical Larmor radiation (which is just Thomson backscattering of the laser photons). Further, we provide an intuitive explanation of this process (in a simplified setting) in terms of the Unruh effect.