The methods to detect vacuum polarization by evanescent modes

TL;DR

This paper introduces evanescent-mode-sensing techniques to detect QED vacuum polarization, enabling high-sensitivity measurements under current experimental conditions by analyzing phase change and time delay of evanescent waves.

Contribution

It presents novel evanescent-mode-sensing methods for probing vacuum polarization that work at sub-critical external fields, expanding experimental capabilities.

Findings

High sensitivity achievable with small external fields

Methods based on phase change and time delay of evanescent waves

Potential applications in detecting tiny dissipation in various fields

Abstract

We propose the evanescent-mode-sensing methods to probe the electrodynamics (QED) vacuum polarization. From our methods, high-sensitivity can be achieved even though the external field is much smaller than the Schwinger critical field and may be realizable in contemporary experimental conditions. The methods are based on the effect of phase change and time delay of evanescent wave which is transmitted in QED vacuum. These methods can also be widely used in sensitive probing of tiny dissipation in other fields.