gamma gamma -> gamma gamma as a Test of Weak Scale Quantum Gravity at the NLC

TL;DR

This paper investigates how gamma gamma scattering at TeV energies can serve as a test for weak scale quantum gravity with large extra dimensions, potentially observable at the Next Linear Collider.

Contribution

It demonstrates that gamma gamma -> gamma gamma scattering can probe quantum gravity effects at the TeV scale, providing a new experimental test for theories with large extra dimensions.

Findings

Gravitational effects are comparable to Standard Model loops at 1 TeV energies.

The NLC can explore quantum gravity scales from 1 to 10 TeV.

Gamma gamma scattering is a promising channel for testing weak scale quantum gravity.

Abstract

Recently, it has been proposed that the fundamental scale of quantum gravity can be close to the weak scale if there are large extra dimensions. This proposal has important phenomenological implications for processes at the TeV scale. We study the process gamma gamma -> gamma gamma, assuming an ultraviolet cutoff M_S \sim 1 TeV for the effective gravity theory. We find that, at center of mass energies \sqrt(s) \sim 1 TeV, the contribution of gravitationally mediated scattering to the cross section is comparable to that coming from the one-loop Feynman diagrams of the Standard Model. We thus conclude that the effects of weak scale quantum gravity can be studied at the Next Linear Collider (NLC), in the photon collider mode. Our results suggest that, for typical proposed NLC energies and luminosities, the range 1 TeV \lsim M_S \lsim 10 TeV can be probed.