Axion-like-particle decay in strong electromagnetic backgrounds

Abstract

The decay of a massive pseudoscalar, scalar and U(1) boson into an electron-positron pair in the presence of strong electromagnetic backgrounds is calculated. Of particular interest is the constant-crossed-field limit, relevant for experiments that aim to measure high-energy axion-like-particle conversion into electron-positron pairs in a magnetic field. The total probability depends on the quantum nonlinearity parameter - a product of field and lightfront momentum invariants. Depending on the seed particle mass, different decay regimes are identified. In the below-threshold case, we find the probability depends on a non-perturbative tunnelling exponent depending on the quantum parameter and the particle mass. In the above-threshold case, we find that when the quantum parameter is varied linearly, the probability oscillates nonlinearly around the spontaneous decay probability. A strong-field limit is identified in which the threshold is found to disappear. In modelling the fall-off of a quasi-constant-crossed magnetic field, we calculate probabilities beyond the constant limit and investigate when the decay probability can be regarded as locally constant.