Towards an experimental realization of affinely transformed linearized quantum electrodynamics vacuum via inverse homogenization

Abstract

Within the framework of quantum electrodynamics (QED), vacuum is a nonlinear medium which can be linearized for a rapidly time-varying electromagnetic field with a small amplitude subjected to a magnetostatic field. The linearized QED vacuum is a uniaxial dielectric-magnetic medium for which the degree of anisotropy is exceedingly small. By implementing an affine transformation of the spatial coordinates, the degree of anisotropy may become sufficiently large as to be readily perceivable. The inverse Bruggeman formalism can be implemented to specify a homogenized composite material (HCM) which is electromagnetically equivalent to the affinely transformed QED vacuum. This HCM can arise from remarkably simple component materials; for example, two isotropic dielectric materials and two isotropic magnetic materials, randomly distributed as oriented spheroidal particles.

Towards metamaterials with giant dielectric anisotropy via homogenization: An analytical study

“…In particular, the findings reported here may be helpful to those engaged in the development of anisotropic nanostructured composite materials for specific functions. For example, the described homogenization process may enable the realization of the very high degrees of anisotropy which are required to create metamaterial analogues representing various curved spacetime [10][11][12][13] and quantum electrodynamical [14] scenarios.…”

“…10.005 1569-4410/© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. development of material analogues for the electromagnetic properties of certain curved spacetime scenarios, such as rotating black holes [10,11], Schwarzschild-(anti-)de Sitter spacetime [12], and cosmic spinning strings [13], as well as material analogues of quantum electrodynamic vacuum [14]. In particular, extremely high degrees of dielectric anisotropy are needed to represent regions of large spacetime curvature, close to singularities or event horizons, for examples.…”

Giant dielectric anisotropy via homogenization

“…These findings may be helpful to those engaged in the development of anisotropic nanostructured composite materials for specific functions. For example, the described homogenization process may enable the very high degrees of anisotropy which are required to create material analogues for various curved spacetime [9,10,11,12] and quantum electrodynamical [13] scenarios to be attained.…”

“…Most significantly, the incorporation of dielectric anisotropy can enable non-magnetic composite materials to support negative refraction [7,8]. Another notable area where dielectric anisotropy plays a key role is in the development of material analogues for the electromagnetic properties of certain curved spacetime scenarios, such as rotating black holes [9,10], Schwarzschild-(anti-)de Sitter spacetime [11], and cosmic spinning strings [12], as well as material analogues of quantum electrodynamic vacuum [13]. In particular, high degrees of dielectric anisotropy are needed to represent regions of large spacetime curvature, close to singularities or event horizons, for examples.…”