Special Issue: Advances in Foundations of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Information with atoms and photons, QUANTUM 2012No Access

EXPLORING QUANTUM VACUUM WITH LOW-ENERGY PHOTONS

E. MILOTTI

INFN - Sez. di Trieste and Dip. di Fisica, Università di Trieste, via A. Valerio 2, I-34127 Trieste, Italy

Corresponding author.

Search for more papers by this author

F. DELLA VALLE

INFN - Sez. di Trieste and Dip. di Fisica, Università di Trieste, via A. Valerio 2, I-34127 Trieste, Italy

Search for more papers by this author

G. ZAVATTINI

INFN - Sez. di Ferrara and Dip. di Fisica, Università di Ferrara, via Saragat 1, Blocco C, I-44122 Ferrara, Italy

Search for more papers by this author

G. MESSINEO

INFN - Sez. di Ferrara and Dip. di Fisica, Università di Ferrara, via Saragat 1, Blocco C, I-44122 Ferrara, Italy

Search for more papers by this author

U. GASTALDI

INFN - Lab. Naz. di Legnaro, viale dell'Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Italy

Search for more papers by this author

R. PENGO

INFN - Lab. Naz. di Legnaro, viale dell'Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Italy

Search for more papers by this author

G. RUOSO

INFN - Lab. Naz. di Legnaro, viale dell'Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Italy

Search for more papers by this author

D. BABUSCI

INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy

Search for more papers by this author

C. CURCEANU

INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy

Search for more papers by this author

M. ILIESCU

INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy

Search for more papers by this author

, and

C. MILARDI

INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, CP 13, via E. Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy

Search for more papers by this author

https://doi.org/10.1142/S021974991241002XCited by:12 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

Although quantum mechanics (QM) and quantum field theory (QFT) are highly successful, the seemingly simplest state — vacuum — remains mysterious. While the LHC experiments are expected to clarify basic questions on the structure of QFT vacuum, much can still be done at lower energies as well. For instance, experiments like PVLAS try to reach extremely high sensitivities, in their attempt to observe the effects of the interaction of visible or near-visible photons with intense magnetic fields — a process which becomes possible in quantum electrodynamics (QED) thanks to the vacuum fluctuations of the electronic field, and which is akin to photon–photon scattering. PVLAS is now close to data-taking and if it reaches the required sensitivity, it could provide important information on QED vacuum. PVLAS and other similar experiments face great challenges as they try to measure an extremely minute effect. However, raising the photon energy greatly increases the photon–photon cross section, and gamma rays could help extract much more information from the observed light–light scattering. Here we discuss an experimental design to measure photon–photon scattering close to the peak of the photon–photon cross section, that could fit in the proposed construction of an FEL facility at the Cabibbo Lab near Frascati (Rome, Italy).

Keywords:

References

S. Weinberg , Rev. Mod. Phys. 61 , 1 ( 1989 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
L. Abbott, Sci. Am. 258(5), 106 (1988). Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
S. M. Carroll , W. H. Press and E. L. Turner , Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 30 , 499 ( 1992 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
H. Euler and B. Kochel , Naturwiss. 23 , 246 ( 1935 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
W. Heisenberg and H. Euler , Z. Phys. 98 , 718 ( 1936 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
V. S. Weisskopf , Danske Vid. Sels., Math.-fys. Medd. 14 , 6 ( 1936 ) . Google Scholar
J. Schwinger , Phys. Rev. 82 , 664 ( 1951 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
R. Baier and P. Breitenlohner , Acta Phys. Austriaca 25 , 212 ( 1967 ) . Google Scholar
R. Baier and P. Breitenlohner , Nuovo Cimento 47 , 261 ( 1967 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
S. L. Adler , Ann. Phys. 67 , 559 ( 1971 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
Z. Bialynicka-Birula and I. Bialynicki-Birula , Phys. Rev. D 2 , 2341 ( 1970 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
J. Ambjorn et al. , JHEP 0302 , 026 ( 2003 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
D. Chrusćiński , Phys. Rev. D 62 , 105007 ( 2000 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
J. Haïssinski et al. , Phys. Scr. 74 , 678 ( 2006 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
V. I. Denisov et al. , Phys. Rev. D 69 , 066008 ( 2004 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
L. Maiani et al. , Phys. Lett. B 175 , 359 ( 1986 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
P. Sikivie , Phys. Rev. Lett. 51 , 1415 ( 1983 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
M. Gasperini , Phys. Rev. Lett. 59 , 396 ( 1987 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
G. Raffelt and L. Stodolsky , Phys. Rev. D 37 , 1237 ( 1998 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
M. Ahlers et al. , Phys. Rev. D 75 , 035011 ( 2007 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
H. Gies et al. , Phys. Rev. Lett. 97 , 140402 ( 2006 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
W. Y. Tsai and T. Erber , Phys. Rev. D 12 , 1132 ( 1975 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
J. K. Daugherty et al. , Astrophys. J. 273 , 761 ( 1983 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
C. Schubert , Nucl. Phys. B 585 , 407 ( 2000 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
R. Cameron et al. , Phys. Rev. D 47 , 3707 ( 1993 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
D. Bakalov et al. , Hyperfine Interact. 114 , 103 ( 1998 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
D. Bakalov et al. , Quantum Semicl. Opt. 10 , 239 ( 1998 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
E. Zavattini et al. , Phys. Rev. D 77 , 032006 ( 2008 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
M. Bregant et al. , Phys Rev. D 78 , 032006 ( 2008 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
E. Zavattini et al. , Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 , 110406 ( 2006 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
K. Zioutas et al. , Phys. Rev. Lett. 94 , 121301 ( 2005 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
C. Robilliard et al. , Phys. Rev. Lett. 99 , 190403 ( 2007 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
M. Fouché et al. , Phys. Rev. D 78 , 032013 ( 2008 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
A. S. Chou et al , arXiv:0710.3783 . Google Scholar
A. S. Chou et al. , Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 , 080402 ( 2008 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
V. I. Ritus, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz 69 (1975) 1517 [Sov. Phys. JETP 42 (1975) 774] . Google Scholar
D. Bakalov, INFN/AE-94/27 (1994) SIS publication LNF . Google Scholar
G. Dunne , arxiv:hep-th/0406216v1 . Google Scholar
E. Iacopini and E. Zavattini , Phys. Lett. B 85 , 151 ( 1979 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
G. Zavattini et al. , Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 27 , 1260017 ( 2012 ) . Link, Web of Science, Google Scholar
F. D. Valle et al. , Optics Commun. 293 , 4194 ( 2010 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
G. Zavattini et al. , Appl. Phys. B 83 , 571 ( 2006 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
E. Lundström et al. , Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 , 083602 ( 2006 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
D. Tommasini et al. , Phys. Rev. A 77 , 042101 ( 2008 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
A. N. Luiten and J. C. Petersen , Phys. Lett. A 330 , 429 ( 2004 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
A. N. Luiten and J. C. Petersen , Phys. Rev. A 70 , 033801 ( 2004 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
R. Battesti et al. , Eur. Phys. J. D 46 , 323 ( 2008 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
W.-T. Ni , Chin. J. Phys. 34 , 962 ( 1996 ) . Web of Science, Google Scholar
P. Pugnat et al. , Czech. J. Phys. A 56 , C193 ( 2006 ) . Web of Science, Google Scholar
T. Heinzl et al. , Optics Commun. 267 , 318 ( 2006 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
O. Halpern , Phys. Rev. 44 , 855 ( 1933 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
H. Euler and B. Kockel , Naturwissenschaften 23 , 246 ( 1935 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
A. Akhieser , L. Landau and I. Pomeranchouk , Nature 138 , 206 ( 1936 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
A. Akhieser , Phys. Zeit. Sowjetunion 11 , 263 ( 1937 ) . Google Scholar
R. Karplus and M. Neuman , Phys. Rev. 80 , 380 ( 1950 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
R. Karplus and M. Neuman , Phys. Rev. 83 , 776 ( 1951 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
B. De Tollis , Nuovo Cimento 32 , 757 ( 1964 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
B. De Tollis , Nuovo Cimento 35 , 1182 ( 1965 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
N. Kanda, Light–light scattering, 2011 , arXiv:1106.0592 . Google Scholar
T. Fujita and N. Kanda, A proposal to measure photon–photon scattering, 2011 , arXiv:1106.0465 . Google Scholar
Y. Liang and A. Czarnecki , Can. J. Phys. 90 , 11 ( 2012 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
R. Jackiw , Int. J. Mod. Phys. B 14 , 2011 ( 2000 ) . Link, Web of Science, Google Scholar
W. Becker , J. K. McIver and R. R. Schlicker , Phys. Rev. A 38 , 4891 ( 1988 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
W. Becker , J. K. McIver and R. R. Schlicker , J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 6 , 1083 ( 1989 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar
S. Guiducci et al., in Proc. IPAC2012, New Orleans, Louisiana, 20–25 May 2012, Available at http://www.jacow.org . Google Scholar
D. Alesini et al., A possible hard X-ray FEL with the SuperB 6 GeV electron LINAC, INFN-12-14/LNF (2012) . Google Scholar
J. G. Chen et al. , Nucl. Instr. Meth. A 580 , 1184 ( 2007 ) . Crossref, Web of Science, Google Scholar