Vacuum birefringence in high-energy laser-electron collisions

King, B. and Elkina, N. (2016): Vacuum birefringence in high-energy laser-electron collisions. In: Physical Review A, Vol. 94, No. 6, 62102

Abstract

Real photon-photon scattering is a long-predicted phenomenon that is being searched for in experiment in the form of a birefringent vacuum at optical and x-ray frequencies. We present results of calculations and numerical simulations for a scenario to measure this effect using multi-MeV photons generated in the collision of electrons with a laser pulse. We find that the birefringence of the vacuum should be measurable using experimental parameters attainable in the near future.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Physics
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics
• ISSN: 2469-9926
• Language: English