https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00038-4
Quantum radiation by electrons in lasers and the Unruh effect*
Fachbereich Physik, Universität Duisburg-Essen, 47048 Duisburg, Germany
Corresponding author: a ralf.schuetzhold@uni-due.de
Received:
19
November
2008
Published online:
13
March
2009
In addition to the Larmor radiation known from classical electrodynamics, electrons in a laser field may emit pairs of entangled photons – which is a pure quantum effect. We investigate this quantum effect and discuss why it is suppressed in comparison with the classical Larmor radiation (which is just Thomson backscattering of the laser photons). Further, we provide an intuitive explanation of this process (in a simplified setting) in terms of the Unruh effect.
PACS: 04.62.+v – Quantum field theory in curved spacetime / 12.20.Fv – Experimental tests / 41.60.-m – Radiation by moving charges / 42.50.Dv – Quantum state engineering and measurements
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2009
