One-loop finite temperature effective action of QED in the worldline approach

Abstract

The one-loop finite temperature effective potential of QED in an external electromagnetic field is obtained using the worldline method. The general structure of the temperature dependent part of the effective action in an arbitrary external inhomogeneous magnetic field is established. The two-derivative effective action of spinor and scalar QED in a static magnetic background at $T\neq 0$ is derived.Comment: REVTeX, 5 pages. Minor corrections. Final version published in Phys. Lett.