Renormalization of the Volkov propagator

Abstract

The perturbative description of an electron propagating in a plane wave background is developed and loop corrections analyzed. The ultraviolet divergences and associated renormalization are studied using the sideband framework within which the multiplicative form of the corrections becomes manifest. An additional renormalization beyond that usually expected is identified and interpreted as a loop correction to the background induced mass term. Results for the strong field sector are conjectured.