Laser-driven search of axion-like particles including vacuum polarization effects

TL;DR

This paper explores how high-intensity laser fields can be used to detect axion-like particles by analyzing vacuum polarization effects, revealing unique birefringence phenomena and setting new experimental constraints.

Contribution

It introduces a novel laser-based method to search for axion-like particles considering nonlinear QED effects and vacuum polarization, extending beyond traditional magnet-based experiments.

Findings

Axion-like particles induce chiral birefringence and dichroism in vacuum under laser fields.

The study establishes exclusion limits on axion parameters using polarization observables.

Predictions suggest laser setups can surpass dipole magnet experiments in certain regimes.

Abstract

Oscillations of photons into axion-like particles in a high-intensity laser field are investigated. Nonlinear QED effects are considered through the low energy behavior of the vacuum polarization tensor, which is derived from the Euler-Heisenberg Lagrangian in the one-loop and weak field approximations. The expressions obtained in this framework are applied to the configuration in which the strong background field is a circularly polarized monochromatic plane wave. The outcomes of this analysis reveal that, in the regime of low energy-momentum transfer, the axion field induces a chiral-like birefringence and dichroism in the vacuum which is not manifest in a pure QED context. The corresponding ellipticity and angular rotation of the polarization plane are also determined. We take advantage of such observables to impose exclusion limits on the axion parameters. Our predictions cover axion masses for which a setup based on dipole magnets provides less stringent constraints. Possible experimental scenarios in which our results could be tested are also discussed.