SF-QFT · Fundamental physics with intense laser fields

Fundamental physics with intense laser fields

The intense light sources available at current and next generation high-intensity laser facilities offer exciting prospects for a broad spectrum of applications in the areas of energy, industry and medicine. Furthermore, intense laser light offers new methods to explore questions in basic science, in particular fundamental quantum physics. While traditionally the realm of accelerator-based experiments (such as those at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at Cern), elementary particle physics can also be investigated using intense lasers. Indeed laser light offers us access to a wealth of effects (on the so-called `intensity frontier' of particle physics) which are difficult to probe using traditional accelerator experiments. Experiments require predictions to test, and theoretical predictions must be tested with experiment. Since the invention of the laser experimental progress has come in fits and spurts, but the development of theory has been slower. Almost immediately after the invention of the laser a basic theory was established which allowed scientists to ask questions on the physics of laser-matter interactions, and to perform the calculations required to answer them. This theory was the `gold standard' for many years. In the last decade, however, researchers have begun to question the assumptions behind this old theory, and the experimental predictions based on it. It has been realised that improvements to our theoretical tools are needed in order to make accurate predictions for, and analyses of, forthcoming laser experiments. Addressing this need was the objective of the project. The aims of the proposed research were to first improve and refine our current theoretical models of laser-matter interactions, and then to begin the task of applying these to the study of relevant physical process which will be studied in future experiments.

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