https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-023-12074-w
Regular Article - Theoretical Physics
Strong field vacuum birefringence in plane wave pulses
1
Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, Plymouth, UK
2
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
3
Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
Received:
31
July
2023
Accepted:
24
September
2023
Published online:
7
October
2023
By combining an adiabatic approach based on a ‘locally monochromatic’ approximation with a local Hilbert transform, it is demonstrated how vacuum birefringence in the strong field regime can be calculated using a rate approach suitable for Monte Carlo simulation codes. Results for the flipping of the photon’s polarisation (helicity) are benchmarked with evaluation of exact expressions in a circularly (linearly) polarised plane wave of finite extent. For the circularly polarised case, the Heisenberg–Euler approach predicts a null result; an approximation similar to the ‘locally constant’ form is presented, which recovers the correct low-energy scaling. Example probabilities are given for typical experimental parameters.
© The Author(s) 2023
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