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arXiv · 1611.09883

The quantum vacuum in electromagnetic fields: From the Heisenberg-Euler effective action to vacuum birefringence

Felix Karbstein
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Abstract

The focus of these lectures is on the quantum vacuum subjected to classical electromagnetic fields. To this end we explicitly derive the renowned Heisenberg-Euler effective action in constant electromagnetic fields in a rather pedagogical and easy to conceive way. As an application, we use it to study vacuum birefringence constituting one of the most promising optical signatures of quantum vacuum nonlinearity.

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Felix Karbstein. 2016-11-23. The quantum vacuum in electromagnetic fields: From the Heisenberg-Euler effective action to vacuum birefringence. https://doi.org/10.3204/desy-proc-2016-04

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