Relativistic tunneling picture of electron-positron pair creation

TL;DR

This paper extends the tunneling model of electron-positron pair creation to include combined electric and magnetic fields, providing a symmetric, gauge-invariant, and Lorentz-invariant framework that clarifies how magnetic fields influence pair creation.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized, symmetric tunneling picture for pair creation in combined fields, incorporating magnetic effects and photon assistance in a gauge- and Lorentz-invariant manner.

Findings

Magnetic fields can modify and sometimes enhance pair creation.

The model is gauge-invariant and Lorentz-invariant.

Photon assistance can facilitate pair creation.

Abstract

The common tunneling picture of electron-positron pair creation in a strong electric field is generalized to pair creation in combined crossed electric and magnetic fields. This enhanced picture, being symmetric for electrons and positrons, is formulated in a gauge-invariant and Lorentz-invariant manner for quasistatic fields. It may be used to infer qualitative features of the pair creation process. In particular, it allows for an intuitive interpretation of how the presence of a magnetic field modifies and, in particular cases, even enhances pair creation. The creation of electrons and positrons from the vacuum may be assisted by an energetic photon, which can also be incorporated into this picture of pair creation.