Extremely high-intensity laser interactions with fundamental quantum systems

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in high-intensity laser interactions with quantum systems, exploring extreme light-matter phenomena, particle creation, and potential new physics beyond the Standard Model at intensities exceeding 10^{22} W/cm^2.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on relativistic quantum dynamics and particle physics in ultra-intense laser fields, highlighting new experimental and theoretical insights.

Findings

Radiation-reaction effects dominate electron dynamics at intensities >10^{22} W/cm^2

Intense lasers can induce particle creation of electrons, muons, and pions

Potential for discovering new particles beyond the Standard Model

Abstract

The field of laser-matter interaction traditionally deals with the response of atoms, molecules and plasmas to an external light wave. However, the recent sustained technological progress is opening up the possibility of employing intense laser radiation to trigger or substantially influence physical processes beyond atomic-physics energy scales. Available optical laser intensities exceeding $10^{22}\;\text{W/cm$^2$}$ can push the fundamental light-electron interaction to the extreme limit where radiation-reaction effects dominate the electron dynamics, can shed light on the structure of the quantum vacuum, and can trigger the creation of particles like electrons, muons and pions and their corresponding antiparticles. Also, novel sources of intense coherent high-energy photons and laser-based particle colliders can pave the way to nuclear quantum optics and may even allow for potential discovery of new particles beyond the Standard Model. These are the main topics of the present article, which is devoted to a review of recent investigations on high-energy processes within the realm of relativistic quantum dynamics, quantum electrodynamics, nuclear and particle physics, occurring in extremely intense laser fields.