Finite temperature Schwinger pair production in coexistent electric and magnetic fields

Abstract

We compute Schwinger pair production rates at finite temperature, in the presence of homogeneous, concurrent electric, and magnetic fields. Expressions are obtained using the semiclassical worldline instanton formalism, to leading order, for spin-0 and spin 1/2 particles. The derived results are valid for weak coupling and fields. We thereby extend previous seminal results in the literature, to coexistent electric and magnetic fields, as well as fermions.