An approach toward the laboratory search for the scalar field as a candidate of Dark Energy

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel laboratory method to detect a light scalar field, a candidate for Dark Energy, by observing resonance effects in optical light-by-light scattering using laser experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework for detecting scalar fields related to Dark Energy through resonance in optical scattering experiments, combining gravitational and non-gravitational effects.

Findings

Resonance signatures can be detected despite weak gravitational coupling.

Frequency-shifted photons with specific polarization serve as indicators.

Enhancement of weak signals is possible via non-gravitational effects.

Abstract

The observed accelerating universe indicates the presence of Dark Energy which is probably interpreted in terms of an extremely light gravitational scalar field. We suggest a way to probe this scalar field which contributes to optical light-by-light scattering through the resonance in the quasi-parallel collision geometry. As we find, the frequency-shifted photons with the specifically chosen polarization state can be a distinct signature of the scalar-field-exchange process in spite of the extremely narrow width due to the gravitationally weak coupling to photons. Main emphasis will be placed in formulating a prototype theoretical approach, then showing how the weak signals from the gravitational coupling are enhanced by other non-gravitational effects at work in laser experiments.