Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: In this study, we examine the emergence of photon Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) resulting from the interaction of high-energy photons with a cold electron gas, modeled via a modified Kompaneets equation. Beginning with an initial black-body photon spectrum, we perform numerical simulations to track the evolution of the photon distribution under the influence of inverse Compton scattering, wherein photons dissipate energy through collisions with cold electrons. Our results demonstrate a pronounced enhancement of photon number density at the low-energy tail, indicative of a BEC-like phase transition. This phenomenon is further corroborated by an analysis of the entropy evolution during the cooling process, revealing that the condensate configuration corresponds to the entropy maximum, in accordance with thermodynamic principles. These findings establish a comprehensive theoretical framework for photon BEC formation in cold electron environments and underscore the significance of entropy maximization as a driving mechanism for condensation.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Guo, Bing'ang, Kou, Wei, Chen, Xurong
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7077974294
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