Exploring light propagation in nonlinear electrodynamics: phase and group velocities and related phenomena

Abstract: Nonlinear electrodynamics has been an important area of research for a long time. Investigations based on nonlinear Lagrangians, such as Euler-Heisenberg and Born-Infeld, are instrumental in exploring the limits of classical and quantum field theories, providing valuable insights into strong-field phenomena. In this context, this work considers how light propagates in strong-field environments, where such nonlinearities play significant roles, offering a way to investigate events in high-energy astrophysics, quantum optics, and fundamental physics beyond classical Maxwell's framework. Here, several aspects of light propagation in nonlinear electrodynamics are discussed. Phase and group velocities are derived and several interesting behaviors are unveiled, such as birefringence, non-reciprocal propagation, and asymmetries between phase and group velocities in special configurations. Specific solutions based on commonly studied nonlinear theories are also investigated, and phenomena like slow-light and one-way propagation are discussed.