Limits on low energy photon-photon scattering from an experiment on magnetic vacuum birefringence

Abstract

Experimental bounds on induced vacuum magnetic birefringence can be used to improve present photon-photon scattering limits in the electronvolt energy range. Measurements with the Polarizzazione del Vuoto con Laser apparatus [ E. Zavattini et al. Phys. Rev. D 77 032006 (2008)] at both λ=1064 and 532 nm lead to bounds on the parameter Ae, describing nonlinear effects in QED, of Ae(1064)<6.6×10-21 T-2@1064 nm and Ae(532)<6.3×10-21 T-2@532 nm, respectively, at 95% confidence level, compared to the predicted value of Ae=1.32×10-24 T-2. The total photon-photon scattering cross section may also be expressed in terms of Ae, setting bounds for unpolarized light of σγγ(1064)<4.6×10-62 m2 and σγγ(532)<2.7×10-60 m2. Compared to the expected QED scattering cross section these results are a factor of ≃2×107 higher and represent an improvement of a factor about 500 on previous bounds based on ellipticity measurements and of a factor of about 1010 on bounds based on direct stimulated scattering measurements

Probing new physics in diphoton production with proton tagging at the Large Hadron Collider

“…Interactions between photons and Z, W bosons in a similar case have already been studied [1]. The only existing direct limits on 4γ interactions originate from low energy laser experiments [2]. The study of this process in LHC proton-proton collisions at center-ofmass energy of ffiffi ffi s p ¼ 14 TeV will benefit from the new forward proton detectors considered in the ATLAS and CMS/TOTEM experiments [3].…”

Shot-noise-limited measurement of sub–parts-per-trillion birefringence phase shift in a high-finesse cavity

“…As noticed by Hall et al [15], the ultimate shot-noise-limited sensitivity, together with milliwatt optical power and state-of-the-art magnetic fields (10 T), may resolve the QED predicted birefringence in a vacuum, but up to now no cavity-based measurement has been able to approach this fundamental limit. As pointed out by authors of advanced experiments [15,16], this is due to the drift of the inherent residual birefringence of high-reflectivity (HR) cavity mirrors. In this Rapid Communication, we present an approach which is unaffected by this problem and demonstrate a shot-noise-limited phase shift resolution using an optical cavity, down to the state-of-the-art level of 3 × 10 −13 rad.…”

Self-induced mode mixing of ultraintense lasers in vacuum

“…In theories beyond the standard model, such as the BI theory [4] or models involving axion-like or minicharged particles [5], the values of ξ L and ξ T can be different [6]. The best laboratory constraints on the ξ L and ξ T parameters have been obtained by the PVLAS collaboration [7]. Their failure to detect nonlinear QV effects implies that…”

“…Even for pulses comprising the electric-field amplitude below the Schwinger limit E S = m 2 e c 3 /(e ) ≈ 1.3 × 10 18 V/m [3], quantum electrodynamics (QED) and several new physics models, such as Born-Infeld (BI) theory [4] and models involving minicharged or axion-like particles [5,6], predict the existence of nonlinear corrections to Maxwell equations in vacuum. Stringent laboratory constraints on the parameters driving these corrections have been obtained from the searches for vacuum birefringence on a low-intensity laser beam propagating in a strong external magnetic field [7]. However, they are still several orders of magnitude above the values predicted by QED.…”