Quantum and Thermal Fluctuations and Pair-breaking in Planar QED

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum and thermal fluctuations affect bound states in planar QED with a Chern-Simons term, revealing their destabilization and dissociation at high temperatures, with implications for observable physical systems.

Contribution

It demonstrates the existence of bound states in planar QED with a Chern-Simons term and analyzes their destabilization due to quantum and thermal fluctuations, a novel insight into the theory's dynamics.

Findings

Bound states exist in planar QED with Chern-Simons term.

Quantum fluctuations destabilize these bound states.

Thermal fluctuations cause smooth dissociation at high temperatures.

Abstract

Planar quantum electrodynamics, in presence of tree-level Chern-Simons term, is shown to support bound state excitations, with a threshold, not present for the pure Chern-Simons theory. In the present case, the bound state gets destabilized by vacuum fluctuations. The bound state itself finds justification in the duality of the theory with massive topological vector field. Thermal fluctuations further destabilize this state, leading to smooth dissociation at high temperatures. Physical systems are suggested for observing such a bound state.