Euler-Heisenberg actions in higher dimensions

Abstract

We extend Schwinger's proper-time formalism to provide a method for computing the one-loop effective action for both spinor and scalar quantum electrodynamics in $d=2n>4$ dimensions. We give the closed form expression for the higher-dimensional Euler-Heisenberg Lagrangian, and extract its weak-field approximation in 6, 8 and 10 dimensions. A subsequent analysis of pair production in $d$ dimensions is also given. In the $d=6$ case, we present a composite conformal primary field of dimension $+6$ which determines the contribution of the electromagnetic field to the Weyl anomaly in curved space.