paper

Ultrafast Resonant Polarization Interferometry: Towards the First Direct Detection of Vacuum Polarization

arXiv:physics/0402073 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.70.033801

Abstract

Vacuum polarization, an effect predicted nearly 70 years ago, is still yet to be directly detected despite significant experimental effort. Previous attempts have made use of large liquid-helium cooled electromagnets which inadvertently generate spurious signals that mask the desired signal. We present a novel approach for the ultra-sensitive detection of optical birefringence that can be usefully applied to a laboratory detection of vacuum polarization. The new technique has a predicted birefringence measurement sensitivity of in a 1 second measurement. When combined with the extreme polarizing fields achievable in this design we predict that a vacuum polarization signal will be seen in a measurement of just a few days in duration.

9 pages, 2 figures. submitted to PRA

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