New perspective on the Unruh effect

Abstract

In this work, based on the worldline path integral representation of the vacuum energy in spacetime with a Lorentzian metric, we provide a new but complementary interpretation of the Unruh effect. We perform the quantization of the massless free scalar field in Rindler space, specifying initial and final conditions. After quantization, the final outcome for the vacuum energy is interpreted as world line path integrals. In this picture, we find that the Unruh radiation is made of real particles as well as real antiparticles. The prediction regarding the presence of antiparticles in the radiation might open new lines for the experimental detection of the effect. We present a thought experiment which offers a clear picture and supports the new interpretation. © 2018 authors. Published by the American Physical Society