scholarly journals Detectable Optical Signatures of QED Vacuum Nonlinearities Using High-Intensity Laser Fields

Particles ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonhard Klar
Keyword(s):  
High Intensity ◽  
Quantum Electrodynamics ◽  
Field Configuration ◽  
Quantum Vacuum ◽  
Scattering Center ◽  
High Intensity Laser ◽  
All Optical ◽  
Vacuum Effects ◽  
Intensity Laser ◽  
Intensity Regime

Up to date, quantum electrodynamics (QED) is the most precisely tested quantum field theory. Nevertheless, particularly in the high-intensity regime it predicts various phenomena that so far have not directly been accessible in all-optical experiments, such as photon-photon scattering phenomena induced by quantum vacuum fluctuations. Here, we focus on all-optical signatures of quantum vacuum effects accessible in the high-intensity regime of electromagnetic fields. We present an experimental setup giving rise to signal photons distinguishable from the background. This configuration is based on two optical pulsed petawatt lasers: one generates a narrow but high-intensity scattering center to be probed by the other one. We calculate the differential number of signal photons attainable with this field configuration analytically and compare it with the background of the driving laser beams.

scholarly journals Probing Vacuum Polarization Effects with High-Intensity Lasers

Particles ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Karbstein
Keyword(s):  
Electromagnetic Fields ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Vacuum Polarization ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Classical Electrodynamics ◽  
Quantum Vacuum ◽  
Polarization Effects ◽  
High Intensity Laser ◽  
Laser Experiments ◽  
Intensity Laser

These notes provide a pedagogical introduction to the theoretical study of vacuum polarization effects in strong electromagnetic fields as provided by state-of-the-art high-intensity lasers. Quantum vacuum fluctuations give rise to effective couplings between electromagnetic fields, thereby supplementing Maxwell’s linear theory of classical electrodynamics with nonlinearities. Resorting to a simplified laser pulse model, allowing for explicit analytical insights, we demonstrate how to efficiently analyze all-optical signatures of these effective interactions in high-intensity laser experiments. Moreover, we highlight several key features relevant for the accurate planning and quantitative theoretical analysis of quantum vacuum nonlinearities in the collision of high-intensity laser pulses.

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