Quantization of magnetic flux and electron-positron pair creation

TL;DR

This paper explores how electron-positron pair creation at a critical electric field imposes boundary conditions on electromagnetic states, leading to quantized magnetic flux similar to known flux quanta.

Contribution

It demonstrates that pair creation at the critical field introduces boundary conditions that result in magnetic flux quantization, providing a new perspective on flux quantization mechanisms.

Findings

Pair creation at critical electric field induces boundary conditions.

Magnetic flux quantization emerges from these boundary conditions.

Results align with established flux quantum values.

Abstract

An electron-positron pair ($e^- e^+$) is created in vacuum above a critical electric field strength $E_{crt}$ which is quite large in the laboratory scale. The photon, thus the field, annihilates in the pair creation process. Here, we question if the pair creation (at $E=E_{crt}$) introduces a boundary condition in the electromagnetic state, e.g., similar to the one in angular or linear momentum. We show that introduction of such a reasonable condition yields approximately the well-known magnetic flux quanta which normally one obtains using different arguments.