FOR 2783:  Probing the Quantum Vacuum at the High-Intensity Frontier

• Subject Area: Physics
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 392856280

The quantum vacuum represents the ground state of Nature as it is described by quantum field theory, being the basic theory concept for all known matter and its particle-physics interactions.The interaction of light with the quantum vacuum gives rise to some of the most fundamental and exotic processes in modern physics, which remain largely untested in the laboratory to date. Tests of these iconic predictions of quantum electrodynamics (QED), the field theory of light and matter, are becoming possible just now. Seizing this opportunity is the goal of this DFG Research Unit FOR 2783. The advent of ultra-intense lasers with up to 10 petawatt (PW) peak power now provides a golden opportunity to advance our knowledge at the high-intensity frontier.Together with the current development of theoretical methods to describe fluctuation-induced quantum processes, the nonlinear regime of the QED vacuum is becoming accessible both experimentally and theoretically. The ambitious program of the Research Unit FOR 2783 in the 2nd funding period relies on firm theory predictions for quantum vacuum processes and aims at their experimental investigation combining the most advanced ultra-intense laser technology with novel high-purity detection schemes.FOR 2783 thus aims at a first experimental discovery of nonlinear quantum vacuum phenomena such as vacuum birefringence, general scattering phenomena of light such as quantum reflection and quantum-vacuum refraction, and lepton pair production in vacuum.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• International Connection: Poland, Russia

Projects

• Coordination Funds (Applicant Gies, Holger )
• Electron-positron pair production (Applicants Müller, Carsten ;  Ruhl, Hartmut )
• High-precision diamond X-ray polarimeters for the detection of vacuum birefringence (Applicants Paulus, Gerhard G. ;  Schulze, Kai Sven )
• Quantum vacuum nonlinearities in the all-optical regime (Applicants Gies, Holger ;  Ruhl, Hartmut )
• Spacetime resolved few-photon detection schemes for vacuum processes (Applicants Schreiber, Jörg ;  Zepf, Matt )
• Towards pair production in the non-perturbative regime: Ultra-relativistic beams, laser characterisation and pair detection (Applicants Karsch, Stefan ;  Zepf, Matt )
• Vacuum birefringence (Applicants Karbstein, Felix ;  Ruhl, Hartmut )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Holger Gies