Real-time dynamics of string breaking

Phys Rev Lett. 2013 Nov 15;111(20):201601. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.201601. Epub 2013 Nov 12.

Abstract

We study the real-time dynamics of string breaking in quantum electrodynamics in one spatial dimension. A two-stage process with a clear separation of time and energy scales for the fermion-antifermion pair creation and subsequent charge separation leading to the screening of external charges is found. Going away from the traditional setup of external static charges, we establish the phenomenon of multiple string breaking by considering dynamical charges flying apart.