Minimal length corrections to magnetic birefringence in vacuum

Abstract

We consider the modification to Kruglov's non-linear electrodynamics in the presence of minimal length ($l_p$), by considering a specific formulation of generalized uncertainty principle (GUP). The presence of minimal length has been motivated by several candidate theories of quantum-gravity (both perturbative and non-perturbative). We show that, such minimal length modifications could lead to momentum dependent bounds on zero-point electric field strength, for the aforementioned non-linear model of electrodynamics. We further show that, the existence of minimal length modifies the measure of vacuum birefringence $\Delta n$ in a constant and uniformly strong, external magnetic field. We therefore suggest, the presence of a frictional mechanism of fundamental origin, acting in the parallel direction of polarization of photons (in the presence of strong magnetic field), as an additional effect of quantized background.