Validity of One-Dimensional QED for a System with Spatial Symmetry

Abstract

We examine the accuracy of an intrinsically one-dimensional quantum electrodynamics to predict accurately the forces and charges of a three-dimensional system that has a high degree of symmetry and therefore depends effectively only on a single coordinate. As a test case we analyze two charged capacitor plates that are infinitely extended along two coordinate directions. Using the lowest-order fine structure correction to the photon propagator we compute the vacuum's induced charge polarization density and show that the force between the charged plates is increased. Although a one-dimensional theory cannot take the transverse character of the virtual (force-mediating) photons into account, nevertheless it predicts, in lowest order of the fine-structure constant, the Coulomb force law between the plates correctly. However, the quantum correction to the classical result is slightly different between the 1d and 3d theories with the polarization charge density induced from the vacuum underestimated by the 1d approach.