Possibility of Experimental Studies of Nonlinear Quantum Electrodynamics Effects Using High Power Ultrashort Laser Pulses

Abstract

Investigation of interaction of electrons and γ-quanta with very strong electromagnetic fields having the strength about Fo = m2c3 /eħ = 1.32×1016V/cm (characteristic QED field strength) is of principal interest for fundamental physics. Such a field performs the work equal to the electron rest energy (mc2) at its Compton wavelength (ħ/mc). Therefore one may think that intrinsic properties of an electron would be manifested due to action the field ~FO on parts of an elementary charge. If such a field is produced with a laser then frequency and wavelength must have values ω ~mc2/ħ and λ h/mc in the rest frame of the electron i.e. defined by fundamental constants and electron mass. The behavior of electrons and photons in very strong electromagnetic fields has not been investigated experimentally. That is way so important to examine experimentally relatively simple situations compatible with detailed quantum electrodynamic interpretation But there is no possibility to obtain directly such a field in laboratory conditions. Although in nature such extremely strong fields can be found in the vicinity of neutron stars (pulsars) and " black holes". Some processes of nonlinear QED have been elaborated by Ritus and Nikishov[1] in FIAN. As a result of their work an idea has arised to achieve field ~Fo in the rest frame of an electron by bringing a high-energy electron (50-GeV) or photon beam (40-GeV) into collision with a high-intensity laser beam[2]. Then fields strengths of ~1011V/cm which achieve by now [3,4] would be transform with Lorentz factor γ = 105-106 i.e. achieve required values. Now there are four the electron accelerators having available parameters. These are HERA (DESY, Hamburg), TRISTAN (Tsukuba, Japan), LEP (CERN), SLC (Stanford, USA).