Quantum reflection as a new signature of quantum vacuum nonlinearity

2013/05/31 by Holger Gies, Felix Karbstein, Nico Seegert · 56 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Cavity quantum electrodynamics #Electromagnetic field #Field (mathematics) #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Open quantum system #Photon #Physics #Quantum #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum electrodynamics #Quantum imaging #Quantum mechanics #Quantum technology #Reflection (computer programming) #Signature (topology) #Vacuum energy #hep-ph #hep-th #quant-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/1367-2630/15/8/083002

published in New Journal of Physics 15(8), 083002 (IOP Publishing) · 9 pages, 1 figure; some clarifications added, matches journal version

openalex publication_date 2013/08/01 · arxiv created 2013/08/02 · arxiv updated 2013/08/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

We show that photons subject to a spatially inhomogeneous electromagnetic field can experience quantum reflection. Based on this observation, we propose quantum reflection as a novel means to probe the nonlinearity of the quantum vacuum in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields.

Citations

• Derivative expansion of the effective action for quantum electrodynamics in 2+1 and 3+1 dimensions
• Measurement of the Casimir Force between Parallel Metallic Surfaces
• Precision Measurement of the Casimir Force from 0.1 to0.9μm
• Quantum vacuum experiments using high intensity lasers
• Extremely high-intensity laser interactions with fundamental quantum systems
• The Scattering of Light by Light
• �ber die Streuung von Licht an Licht nach der Diracschen Theorie
• Photon splitting and photon dispersion in a strong magnetic field
• On Gauge Invariance and Vacuum Polarization
• Demonstration of the Casimir Force in the 0.6 to6μmRange

Cited by

• Photon-photon scattering at the high-intensity frontier