Laser-Assisted Pion Decay

TL;DR

This paper investigates how intense electromagnetic fields, specifically laser fields, can influence the decay rate of pions, revealing that the lifetime can be notably altered under certain conditions, linked to the quantum Zeno effect.

Contribution

The study provides analytical and numerical evidence that laser fields can significantly modify pion decay rates when photon exchange is below a certain threshold.

Findings

Pion lifetime can be affected by electromagnetic fields.

Laser parameters influence decay rate and branching ratio.

Quantum Zeno effect observed in pion decay under laser influence.

Abstract

This paper revives the controversial debate that has arisen over the last two decades about the possibility that the electromagnetic field affects the lifetime or the decay rate of an unstable particle. In this research, we show, by performing analytical calculations and extracting numerical results, that the pion lifetime can be changed notably by inserting the decaying pion into an electromagnetic field only if the number of photons transferred between the decaying system and the laser field does not reach the well-known sum-rule. The influence of the laser parameters on the decay rate and branching ratio is also discussed. The surprising result obtained for the pion lifetime is referred to as the well-known quantum Zeno effect.