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arXiv · 2503.21856

On Measuring Stimulated Photon-photon Scattering using Multiple Ultraintense Lasers

Hans G. Rinderknecht·E. Dill·A. J. MacLeod·B. King·K. Sow·S. -W. Bahk·I. A. Begishev·F. Karbstein·J. Schreiber·M. Zepf·A. Di Piazza
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Abstract

Stimulated photon-photon scattering is a predicted consequence of quantum electrodynamics that has yet to be measured directly. Measuring the cross-section for stimulated photon-photon scattering is the aim of a flagship experiment for NSF OPAL, a proposed laser user facility with two, 25-PW beamlines. We present optimized experimental designs for achieving this challenging and canonical measurement. A family of experimental geometries is identified that satisfies the momentum- and energy-matching conditions for two selected laser frequency options. Numerical models predict a maximum signal exceeding 1000 scattered photons per shot at the experimental conditions envisaged at NSF OPAL. Experimental requirements on collision geometry, polarization, cotiming and copointing, background suppression, and diagnostic technologies are investigated numerically. These results confirm that a beam cotiming shorter than the pulse duration and control of the copointing on a scale smaller than the shortest laser wavelength are needed to robustly scatter photons on a per-shot basis. Finally, we assess the bounds that a successful execution of this experiment may place on the mass scale of Born-Infeld nonlinear electrodynamics beyond the Standard Model of physics.

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Hans G. Rinderknecht, E. Dill, A. J. MacLeod, B. King, K. Sow, S. -W. Bahk, I. A. Begishev, F. Karbstein, J. Schreiber, M. Zepf, A. Di Piazza. 2025-08-05. On Measuring Stimulated Photon-photon Scattering using Multiple Ultraintense Lasers. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0272791

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