Radiation signal accompanying the Schwinger effect

TL;DR

This paper investigates the radiation emitted by electron-positron plasma oscillations induced by a short laser pulse, proposing it as an observable signature of the Schwinger effect of vacuum pair production.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum kinetic approach to analyze plasma oscillations and predicts observable radiation as evidence of the Schwinger mechanism.

Findings

Plasma oscillations occur at the external field frequency and its odd harmonics.

Radiation from these oscillations can be detected outside the interaction region.

The study links plasma radiation to the Schwinger pair creation process.

Abstract

The properties of the forced oscillations of electron-positron plasma (EPP) generated from vacuum under the action of a short laser pulse are considered. Calculating the density of the conduction and polarization currents within the quantum kinetic approach, we demonstrate the presence of plasma oscillations at the frequency of the external field and its odd harmonics. It is expected that radiation generated by these plasma oscillations can be observed outside the interaction region, for example, outside the focal spot of two counterpropagating laser beams, and can serve as an indicator of the Schwinger mechanism of the EPP creation from vacuum.