Backreaction effect and plasma oscillation in pair production for rapidly oscillating electric fields

TL;DR

This study investigates the backreaction and plasma oscillation effects in electron-positron pair production under rapidly oscillating electric fields, revealing conditions where backreaction can be neglected and characterizing plasma oscillation behavior.

Contribution

It demonstrates that backreaction can often be ignored in weak, rapidly oscillating fields and provides a formula for plasma oscillation periods based on Langmuir frequency.

Findings

Backreaction can be neglected in weak, rapidly oscillating fields.

Plasma oscillation period depends on electric field parameters and particle density.

Momentum spectrum shows complex interference patterns after backreaction consideration.

Abstract

The backreaction effect and plasma oscillation in pair production for rapidly oscillating electric fields are investigated by solving quantum Vlasov equation. Contrary to previously thought, it is found that the backreaction effect can be neglected in the pair production for a rapidly oscillating but weak electric field, particularly, for a subcritical external electric field with frequency chirp. In some cases the oscillation period of created electron-positron plasma can be described by a simple formula constructed based on the Langmiur oscillation frequency, but it is impossible in general case because the plasma oscillation period directly depend not only on the final number density of created particles, but also on the external electric field parameters. Moreover, it is found that the momentum spectrum presents complex interferences after considering the backreaction. These results give us the safety range of external electric fields for taking no account of the backreaction effect and deepen our understanding of the pair production with the backreaction effect.