Preprint

PUBDB-2026-00520

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Proof-of-principle experiment for the dark-field detection concept for measuring vacuum birefringence

Smid, M. (Corresponding author)Extern*XFEL.EU* ; Khademi, P. ; Ahmadiniaz, N. ; Andrzejewski, M. ; Baehtz, C. ; Brambrink, E. ; Burian, T. ; Bulička, J. ; Chalupský, J. ; Cowan, T. E. ; Cafiso, S. D. D. ; Chalupský, J. ; Cowan, T. E. ; Göde, S. ; Grenzer, J. ; Hájková, V. ; Hilz, P. ; Hippler, W. ; Höppner, H. ; Horynová, A. ; Huang, L. ; Humphries, O. ; Jelínek, Š. ; Juha, L. ; Karbstein, F. ; Kohlfürst, C. ; Garcia, A. L. ; Lötzsch, R. ; Matheron, A. ; Masruri, M. ; Nakatsutsumi, M. ; Pelka, A. ; Paulus, G. G. ; Preston, T. R. ; Randolph, L. ; Sävert, A. ; Schlenvoigt, H.-P. ; Schützhold, R. ; Schwinkendorf, J. P. ; Stöhlker, T. ; Toncian, T. ; Toncian, M. ; Valialshchikov, M. ; Rahul, S. V. ; Valialshchikov, M. ; Vozda, V.Extern*XFEL.EU* ; Weckert, E. ; Wessel, C. ; Wild, J. ; Zastrau, U. ; Zepf, M.

2025

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2026-00520

Report No.: arXiv:2506.11649

Abstract: Vacuum fluctuations give rise to effective nonlinear interactions between electromagnetic fields. These generically modify the characteristics of light traversing a strong-field region. X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) constitute a particularly promising probe, due to their brilliance, the possibility of precise control and favorable frequency scaling. However, the nonlinear vacuum response is very small even when probing a tightly focused high-intensity laser field with XFEL radiation and direct measurement of light-by-light scattering of real photons and the associated fundamental physics constants of the quantum vacuum has not been possible to date. Achieving a sufficiently good signal-to-background separation is key to a successful quantum vacuum experiment. To master this challenge, a dark-field detection concept has recently been proposed. Here we present the results of a proof-of-principle experiment validating this approach by demonstrating that using real-world x-ray optics the background signal can be suppressed sufficiently to measure the weak nonlinear response of the vacuum.

Note: Phys.Rev.A 112 (2025) 6, 063512

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Bereichsleitung FS (FS)

Research Program(s):

1. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)392856280 - FOR 2783: Probing the Quantum Vacuum at the High-Intensity Frontier (392856280) (392856280)
2. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)416607684 - Vakuumdoppelbrechung (416607684) (416607684)
3. 631 - Matter – Dynamics, Mechanisms and Control (POF4-631) (POF4-631)

Experiment(s):

1. HED: High-Density matter Experiments (SASE2)

Appears in the scientific report 2025

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Linked articles:

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Journal Article Smid, M. (Corresponding author)Extern*XFEL.EU* ; Khademi, P. ; Ahmadiniaz, N. ; et al
Proof-of-principle experiment for the dark-field detection concept for measuring vacuum birefringence
Physical review / A 112(6), 063512 (2025) [10.1103/xpxy-ntwz]2025     Files  Fulltext by arXiv.org BibTeX | EndNote: XML, Text | RIS

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