Hannover 2013 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 11: Quantum effects: QED

Q 11.3: Talk

Monday, March 18, 2013, 14:45–15:00, F 342

Stochasticity effects in quantum radiation-reaction — •Norman Neitz and Antonino Di Piazza — Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg

Radiation-reaction effects in the collision of a strong laser pulse with a thin plasma foil have been shown to reduce the energy spread of the generated ion beam in the classical regime [1]. Here, we study the evolution of the energy distribution of an electron beam colliding with an intense laser pulse via a kinetic approach [2] in the framework of strong-field QED [3], and show that in the quantum regime radiation-reaction effects induce the opposite effect, i.e., the electron beam spreads out after interacting with the laser pulse. We identify the physical origin of this opposite tendency in the intrinsic stochasticity of quantum photon emission and then of quantum radiation-reaction [4]. Our numerical simulations indicate that the experimental investigation of the predicted effects of stochasticity is in principle feasible with present technology.
[1] M. Tamburini et al., New. J. Phys. 12, 123005 (2010).
V. N. Baier, V. M. Katkov and V. M. Strakhovenko, “Electromagnetic processes at high energies in oriented single crystals” (World Scientific, Singapore, 1998).
A. Di Piazza et al., Rev. Mod. Phys. 84, 1177 (2012).
N. Neitz and A. Di Piazza, to be submitted.