Non-Perturbative Time-Dependent Quantum Field Evolution

TL;DR

This paper introduces a nonperturbative numerical method for real-time quantum field evolution and demonstrates its application to photon emission in strong, time-dependent external fields in QED.

Contribution

The paper develops a first-principles, nonperturbative approach for simulating time-dependent quantum field dynamics in real time.

Findings

Observation of coherent superposition of electron acceleration and photon emission

Successful application to QED in strong external fields

Demonstration of nonperturbative effects in photon emission

Abstract

We present a nonperturbative, first-principles numerical approach for time-dependent problems in the framework of quantum field theory. In this approach the time evolution of quantum field systems is treated in real time and at the amplitude level. As a test application, we apply this method to QED and study photon emission from an electron in a strong, time-dependent external field. Coherent superposition of electron acceleration and photon emission is observed in the nonperturbative regime.