Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 June 2007
It is shown that equilibrium polaritonic flows can amplify magnetic fields in an ultra-cold quantum electron–positron/hole (polaritons) plasma. For this purpose, a linear dispersion relation has been derived by using the quantum generalized hydrodynamic equations for the polaritons, the Maxwell equation, and Faraday's law. The dispersion relation admits purely growing instabilities, the growth rates of which are proportional to the equilibrium streaming speeds of the polaritons. Possible applications of our work to the spontaneous excitation of magnetic fields and the associated cross-field transport of the polaritons in micromechanical systems, compact dense astrophysical objects (e.g. neutron stars), and intense laser–plasma interaction experiments are mentioned.