Reuse & Permissions

It is not necessary to obtain permission to reuse this article or its components as it is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI are maintained. Please note that some figures may have been included with permission from other third parties. It is your responsibility to obtain the proper permission from the rights holder directly for these figures.

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Open Access

Entanglement and pair production in intense electromagnetic fields

S. Tang1, B. Dillon2, and B. King3,*

  • *Contact author: b.king@plymouth.ac.uk

Phys. Rev. D 112, 056032 – Published 26 September, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/9br2-tj4t

Abstract

We investigate the spin correlations between electron-positron pairs created from a photon when it scatters in a high-intensity laser pulse via the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process. We find that the spin states of the generated electron-positron pair can exhibit strong entanglement, with the degree being sensitive to the photon energy, laser intensity, and the relative polarization of the photon and laser pulse. Photons with a high degree of polarization can create strongly entangled pairs even in the intermediate intensity (nonperturbative) regime. We find that if the photons are provided by a Compton source, strongly spin-entangled electron-positron pairs can be generated with technology available today.

View figure in article

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

References (115)

  1. M. A. Nielsen and I. L. Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information: 10th Anniversary Edition (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 2010).
  2. J. S. Bell, Phys. Phys. Fiz. 1, 195 (1964).
  3. S. J. Freedman and J. F. Clauser, Phys. Rev. Lett. 28, 938 (1972).
  4. A. Aspect, J. Dalibard, and G. Roger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 1804 (1982).
  5. A. Aspect, P. Grangier, and G. Roger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 91 (1982).
  6. E. Hagley, X. Maître, G. Nogues, C. Wunderlich, M. Brune, J. M. Raimond, and S. Haroche, Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 1 (1997).
  7. Belle Collaboration, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 131802 (2007).
  8. M. Steffen, M. Ansmann, R. C. Bialczak, N. Katz, E. Lucero, R. McDermott, M. Neeley, E. M. Weig, A. N. Cleland, and J. M. Martinis, Science 313, 1423 (2006).
  9. W. Pfaff, T. H. Taminiau, L. Robledo, H. Bernien, M. Markham, D. J. Twitchen, and R. Hanson, Nat. Phys. 9, 29 (2013).
  10. K. C. Lee, M. R. Sprague, B. J. Sussman, J. Nunn, N. K. Langford, X.-M. Jin, T. Champion, P. Michelberger, K. F. Reim, D. England et al., Science 334, 1253 (2011).
  11. Y. Afik and J. R. M. de Nova, Eur. Phys. J. Plus 136, 907 (2021).
  12. M. Fabbrichesi, R. Floreanini, and G. Panizzo, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 161801 (2021).
  13. R. Aoude, E. Madge, F. Maltoni, and L. Mantani, Phys. Rev. D 106, 055007 (2022).
  14. Y. Afik and J. R. M. n. de Nova, Quantum 6, 820 (2022).
  15. Z. Dong, D. Gonçalves, K. Kong, and A. Navarro, Phys. Rev. D 109, 115023 (2024).
  16. T. Han, M. Low, and T. A. Wu, J. High Energy Phys. 07 (2024) 192.
  17. M. Fabbrichesi, M. Low, and L. Marzola, Phys. Rev. D 112, 013003 (2025).
  18. The ATLAS Collaboration et al., Nature (London) 633, 542 (2024).
  19. CMS Collaboration, Rep. Prog. Phys. 87, 117801 (2024).
  20. A. Hayrapetyan et al. (CMS Collaboration), Phys. Rev. D 110, 112016 (2024).
  21. M. Fabbrichesi, R. Floreanini, E. Gabrielli, and L. Marzola, Eur. Phys. J. C 83, 823 (2023).
  22. M. Fabbrichesi, R. Floreanini, and E. Gabrielli, Eur. Phys. J. C 83, 162 (2023).
  23. J. A. Aguilar-Saavedra, A. Bernal, J. A. Casas, and J. M. Moreno, Phys. Rev. D 107, 016012 (2023).
  24. R. Ashby-Pickering, A. J. Barr, and A. Wierzchucka, J. High Energy Phys. 05 (2023) 020.
  25. K. Sakurai and M. Spannowsky, Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 151602 (2024).
  26. J. A. Aguilar-Saavedra, Phys. Rev. D 109, 113004 (2024).
  27. A. J. Barr, M. Fabbrichesi, R. Floreanini, E. Gabrielli, and L. Marzola, Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys. 139, 104134 (2024).
  28. Y. Afik et al., arXiv:2504.00086.
  29. G. Breit and J. A. Wheeler, Phys. Rev. 46, 1087 (1934).
  30. H. R. Reiss, J. Math. Phys. (N.Y.) 3, 59 (1962).
  31. A. Nikishov and V. Ritus, Sov. Phys. JETP 19, 529 (1964).
  32. A. Fedotov, A. Ilderton, F. Karbstein, B. King, D. Seipt, H. Taya, and G. Torgrimsson, Phys. Rep. 1010, 1 (2023).
  33. A. Gonoskov, T. G. Blackburn, M. Marklund, and S. S. Bulanov, Rev. Mod. Phys. 94, 045001 (2022).
  34. D. L. Burke, R. C. Field, G. Horton-Smith, J. E. Spencer, D. Walz, S. C. Berridge, W. M. Bugg, K. Shmakov, A. W. Weidemann, C. Bula et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 1626 (1997).
  35. C. F. Nielsen, R. Holtzapple, M. M. Lund, J. H. Surrow, M. B. Sørensen, and U. I. Uggerhøj (CERN NA63 Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 071601 (2023).
  36. S. Tang, Phys. Rev. A 104, 022209 (2021).
  37. K. Krajewska and J. Z. Kamiński, Phys. Rev. A 86, 052104 (2012).
  38. A. I. Titov, H. Takabe, B. Kämpfer, and A. Hosaka, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 240406 (2012).
  39. A. M. Fedotov and A. A. Mironov, Phys. Rev. A 88, 062110 (2013).
  40. M. J. A. Jansen, J. Z. Kamiński, K. Krajewska, and C. Müller, Phys. Rev. D 94, 013010 (2016).
  41. M. J. A. Jansen and C. Müller, Phys. Rev. D 93, 053011 (2016).
  42. M. J. A. Jansen and C. Müller, Phys. Rev. A 88, 052125 (2013).
  43. A. I. Titov, B. Kämpfer, A. Hosaka, T. Nousch, and D. Seipt, Phys. Rev. D 93, 045010 (2016).
  44. A. Titov, A. Otto, and B. Kämpfer, Eur. Phys. J. D 74, 39 (2020).
  45. K. Krajewska and J. Z. Kamiński, Phys. Rev. A 90, 052108 (2014).
  46. A. I. Titov, H. Takabe, and B. Kämpfer, Phys. Rev. D 98, 036022 (2018).
  47. A. Ilderton, Phys. Rev. D 101, 016006 (2020).
  48. A. Ilderton, Phys. Rev. D 100, 125018 (2019).
  49. B. King, Phys. Rev. A 101, 042508 (2020).
  50. T. N. Wistisen, Phys. Rev. D 101, 076017 (2020).
  51. H. Abramowicz et al., Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 230, 2445 (2021).
  52. F. C. Salgado, N. Cavanagh, M. Tamburini, D. W. Storey, R. Beyer, P. H. Bucksbaum, Z. Chen, A. Di Piazza, E. Gerstmayr, Harsh et al., New J. Phys. 24, 015002 (2021).
  53. Z. Chen, S. Meuren, E. Gerstmayr, V. Yakimenko, P. H. Bucksbaum, and D. A. R. and, in Optica High-Brightness Sources and Light-driven Interactions Congress 2022 (Optica Publishing Group, Budapest, Hungary, 2022), p. HF4B.6, https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?URI=HILAS-2022-HF4B.6.
  54. H. Abramowicz et al. (LUXE Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 233, 1709 (2024).
  55. R. Schutzhold, G. Schaller, and D. Habs, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 091301 (2008).
  56. E. Lötstedt and U. D. Jentschura, Phys. Rev. A 80, 053419 (2009).
  57. E. Lötstedt and U. D. Jentschura, Phys. Rev. A 87, 033401 (2013).
  58. L. Zhang, Z. Li, D. Liu, C. Wu, H. Xu, and Z. Li, Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 073601 (2023).
  59. T. D. C. de Vos, J. J. Postema, B. H. Schaap, A. Di Piazza, and O. J. Luiten, Phys. Rev. A 110, 043702 (2024).
  60. M. Fedorov, M. Efremov, and P. Volkov, Opt. Commun. 264, 413 (2006).
  61. S. P. Roshchupkin and M. V. Shakhov, Photonics 12, 307 (2025).
  62. M. M. Majczak, K. Krajewska, A. Bechler, and J. Z. Kamiński, arXiv:2507.08720.
  63. L. Gao, A. Ruzi, Q. Li, C. Zhou, and Q. Li, Phys. Rev. D 111, 116018 (2025).
  64. A. Ilderton, B. King, and S. Tang, Phys. Rev. D 102, 076013 (2020).
  65. F. Halzen and A. D. Martin, Mod. Part. Phys. 396, 105 (1984).
  66. S. Tang, Phys. Rev. D 105, 056018 (2022).
  67. W. K. Wootters, Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 2245 (1998).
  68. D. M. Wolkow, Z. Phys. 94, 250 (1935).
  69. V. I. Ritus, J. Russ. Laser Res. 6, 497 (1985).
  70. J. Z. Kamiński, K. Krajewska, and F. Ehlotzky, Rep. Prog. Phys. 72, 046401 (2009).
  71. A. Di Piazza, C. Muller, K. Z. Hatsagortsyan, and C. H. Keitel, Rev. Mod. Phys. 84, 1177 (2012).
  72. G. Sarri et al., arXiv:2504.02608.
  73. V. N. Baĭer, A. I. Mil’shteĭn, and V. M. Strakhovenko, J. Exp. Theor. Phys. 42, 961 (1976).
  74. V. B. Berestetskii, E. M. Lifshitz, and L. P. Pitaevskii, Quantum Electrodynamics (second edition) (Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 1982).
  75. Y. Gao and S. Tang, Phys. Rev. D 106, 056003 (2022).
  76. K. Cheng, T. Han, and M. Low, Phys. Rev. D 109, 116005 (2024).
  77. K. Cheng, T. Han, and M. Low, Phys. Rev. D 111, 033004 (2025).
  78. G. Wilks and Z. Ye, arXiv:2411.09782.
  79. E. N. Nerush, I. Y. Kostyukov, A. M. Fedotov, N. B. Narozhny, N. V. Elkina, and H. Ruhl, Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 035001 (2011).
  80. N. V. Elkina, A. M. Fedotov, I. Y. Kostyukov, M. V. Legkov, N. B. Narozhny, E. N. Nerush, and H. Ruhl, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 14, 054401 (2011).
  81. S. Tang, M. A. Bake, H.-Y. Wang, and B.-S. Xie, Phys. Rev. A 89, 022105 (2014).
  82. A. Gonoskov, S. Bastrakov, E. Efimenko, A. Ilderton, M. Marklund, I. Meyerov, A. Muraviev, A. Sergeev, I. Surmin, and E. Wallin, Phys. Rev. E 92, 023305 (2015).
  83. S. Tang, A. Ilderton, and B. King, Phys. Rev. A 100, 062119 (2019).
  84. F. Wan, R. Shaisultanov, Y.-F. Li, K. Z. Hatsagortsyan, C. H. Keitel, and J.-X. Li, Phys. Lett. B 800, 135120 (2020).
  85. D. Seipt, C. P. Ridgers, D. D. Sorbo, and A. G. R. Thomas, New J. Phys. 23, 053025 (2021).
  86. A. Di Piazza, M. Tamburini, S. Meuren, and C. H. Keitel, Phys. Rev. A 98, 012134 (2018).
  87. T. Blackburn, Rev. Mod. Plasma Phys. 4, 5 (2020).
  88. B. King, N. Elkina, and H. Ruhl, Phys. Rev. A 87, 042117 (2013).
  89. A. Ilderton, B. King, and D. Seipt, Phys. Rev. A 99, 042121 (2019).
  90. A. Di Piazza, M. Tamburini, S. Meuren, and C. H. Keitel, Phys. Rev. A 99, 022125 (2019).
  91. B. King, Phys. Rev. A 101, 042508 (2020).
  92. T. Heinzl, B. King, and A. J. MacLeod, Phys. Rev. A 102, 063110 (2020).
  93. T. G. Blackburn, A. J. MacLeod, and B. King, New J. Phys. 23, 085008 (2021).
  94. T. Blackburn and B. King, Eur. Phys. J. C 82, 44 (2022).
  95. S. Tang and B. King, Phys. Rev. D 104, 096019 (2021).
  96. C. Bamber, S. J. Boege, T. Koffas, T. Kotseroglou, A. C. Melissinos, D. D. Meyerhofer, D. A. Reis, W. Ragg, C. Bula, K. T. McDonald et al., Phys. Rev. D 60, 092004 (1999).
  97. T. G. Blackburn, ptarmigan (2021), https://github.com/tgblackburn/ptarmigan.
  98. T. G. Blackburn, B. King, and S. Tang, Phys. Plasmas 30, 093903 (2023).
  99. B. King and S. Tang, Phys. Rev. A 102, 022809 (2020).
  100. H. J. Korsch, A. Klumpp, and D. Witthaut, J. Phys. A 39, 14947 (2006).
  101. E. Lötstedt and U. D. Jentschura, Phys. Rev. E 79, 026707 (2009).
  102. S. Tang, B. King, and H. Hu, Phys. Lett. B 809, 135701 (2020).
  103. M. Mirzaie, C. Hojbota, D. Kim, V. Pathak, T. Pak, C. Kim, H. W. Lee, J. W. Yoon, S. Lee, Y.-J. Rhee et al., Nat. Photonics 18, 1212 (2024).
  104. H. Abramowicz et al. (LUXE Collaboration), arXiv:2504.00873.
  105. D. Yu. Ivanov, G. L. Kotkin, and V. G. Serbo, Eur. Phys. J. C 36, 127 (2004).
  106. S. Tang and B. King, Phys. Rev. D 107, 096004 (2023).
  107. C. Harvey, T. Heinzl, and A. Ilderton, Phys. Rev. A 79, 063407 (2009).
  108. D. Seipt and B. Kämpfer, Phys. Rev. A 83, 022101 (2011).
  109. D. Seipt, arXiv:1701.03692.
  110. S. Tang, Y. Xin, M. Wen, M. A. Bake, and B. Xie, Matter Radiat. Extremes 9, 037204 (2024).
  111. B. King, T. Heinzl, and T. G. Blackburn, Eur. Phys. J. C 83, 901 (2023).
  112. J. D. Fonseca, B. Hiller, J. B. Araujo, I. G. da Paz, and M. Sampaio, Phys. Rev. D 106, 056015 (2022).
  113. Y. Nagashima, Elementary Particle Physics: Quantum Field Theory and Particles V1 (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2011), Vol. 1.
  114. M. D. Schwartz, Quantum Field Theory and the Standard Model (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 2014), p. 168.
  115. M. E. Peskin, An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 2018), p. 40.

Outline

Information

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation