QUANTUM LARMOR RADIATION FROM A MOVING CHARGE IN AN ELECTROMAGNETIC PLANE WAVE BACKGROUND

Abstract

We extend our previous work [Phys. Rev. D83, 045030 (2011)], which investigated the first-order quantum effect in the Larmor radiation from a moving charge in a spatially homogeneous time-dependent electric field. Specifically, we investigate the quantum Larmor radiation from a moving charge in a monochromatic electromagnetic plane wave background based on the scalar quantum electrodynamics at the lowest order of the perturbation theory. Using the in–in formalism, we derive the theoretical formula of the total radiation energy from a charged particle in the initial states being at rest and being in a relativistic motion. Expanding the theoretical formula in terms of the Planck constant ℏ, we obtain the first-order quantum effect on the Larmor radiation. The quantum effect generally suppresses the total radiation energy compared with the prediction of the classical Larmor formula, which is a contrast to the previous work. The reason is explained by the fact that the radiation from a moving charge in a monochromatic electromagnetic plane wave is expressed in terms of the inelastic collisions between an electron and photons of the background electromagnetic waves.