Anomalous radiation reaction in a circularly polarized field

TL;DR

This paper reveals a quantum correction to electron radiation reaction in circularly polarized fields, showing an anomalous recoil force perpendicular to electron motion, distinct from classical predictions.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum recoil force arising from one-loop QED corrections, differing fundamentally from classical radiation reaction in strong laser fields.

Findings

Quantum recoil force acts perpendicular to electron velocity.

This force results from one-loop QED photon emission corrections.

The phenomenon has no classical analog and affects electron dynamics in intense laser fields.

Abstract

Quantum corrections to electron dynamics in a circularly polarized electromagnetic field are found within the Floquet theory of periodically driven quantum systems. It is demonstrated that emission of photons by an electron rotating under the field leads to the quantum recoil force acting on the electron perpendicularly to the velocity of its forward movement, which differs crucially from the known classical recoil force directed oppositely to the velocity. Physically, such an anomalous radiation reaction arises from the one-loop QED correction to the photon emission and has no analog within the classical electrodynamics. Possible manifestations of this phenomenon are discussed for electrons in strong laser fields.