Measurement of Møller scattering at 2.5 MeV

Abstract

Møller scattering is one of the most fundamental processes in QED, and a variety of modern experiments require its knowledge to high precision. A recent calculation considered the radiative process at low energy, where the electron mass cannot be neglected. To test the calculation, an experiment was carried out using the Van de Graaff accelerator at the MIT High Voltage Research Laboratory. Momentum spectra at three scattering angles are reported here and compared to simulation, based on our previous calculation. Good agreement between the measurements and our calculation is observed.

Scientific Opportunities at the ARIEL Electron Linac

“…Measurement of radiative Møller scattering as a function of energy between 10 and 100 MeV is highly desirable to validate the correction procedure. This has been carried out at 2.5 MeV (where radiative effects are negligible) using a focusing spectrometer [32] by the DarkLight collaboration. The desired measurements can be straightforwardly carried out using the ARIEL electron linac with the apparatus proposed for the DarkLight experiment.…”

Vacuum polarization of generalized quantum electrodynamics in the Heisenberg picture

“…In the above result, the GQED 3 contribution turns out at second order and decreases the differential cross section. We start by taking the electron mass m = 0, 510 MeV and considering the energy limit where Møller scattering is relevant < 100 MeV [33]. Thus, this constraint could inform the real accuracy of correction suggested by the generalized electrodynamics for θ = 10 • , i.e., |δ | ≤ 2.10 −6 %.…”

Møller scattering at NNLO

“…Electron-electron or Møller scattering is a prime example where a high-precision theory prediction has become important. As it is a ubiquitous process at electron beam lines, it has been investigated in connection with luminosity measurements [1,2] and background studies [3], including a recent dedicated measurement at very low energies to study electron mass effects [4]. Precise knowledge of QED effects might also be useful for the MOLLER experiment [5] that searches for parity violation as an indication towards new physics.…”