Interferometric measurement of the deflection of light by light in air

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Kraych, Adrien E., Mailliet, Aurélie Max, Couchot, François, Sarazin, Xavier, Baynard, Elsa, Demailly, Julien, Pittman, Moana, Djannati-Ataï, Arache, Kazamias, Sophie, Robertson, Scott, Urban, Marcel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Kraych, Adrien E.
Mailliet, Aurélie Max
Couchot, François
Sarazin, Xavier
Baynard, Elsa
Demailly, Julien
Pittman, Moana
Djannati-Ataï, Arache
Kazamias, Sophie
Robertson, Scott
Urban, Marcel
author_facet Kraych, Adrien E.
Mailliet, Aurélie Max
Couchot, François
Sarazin, Xavier
Baynard, Elsa
Demailly, Julien
Pittman, Moana
Djannati-Ataï, Arache
Kazamias, Sophie
Robertson, Scott
Urban, Marcel
contents The aim of the DeLLight (Deflection of Light by Light) experiment is to observe for the first time the optical nonlinearity in vacuum, as predicted by Quantum Electrodynamics, by measuring the refraction of a low-intensity focused laser pulse (probe) when crossing the effective vacuum index gradient induced by a high-intensity focused laser pulse (pump). The deflection signal is amplified by using a Sagnac interferometer. Here, we report the first measurement performed with the DeLLight pilot interferometer, of the deflection of light by light in air, with a low-intensity pump. We show that the deflection signal measured by the interferometer is amplified, and is in agreement with the expected signal induced by the optical Kerr effect in air. Moreover, we verify that the signal varies as expected as a function of the pump intensity, the temporal delay between the pump and the probe, and their relative polarisation. These results represent a proof of concept of the DeLLight experimental method based on interferometric amplification.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2401_13506
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Interferometric measurement of the deflection of light by light in air
Kraych, Adrien E.
Mailliet, Aurélie Max
Couchot, François
Sarazin, Xavier
Baynard, Elsa
Demailly, Julien
Pittman, Moana
Djannati-Ataï, Arache
Kazamias, Sophie
Robertson, Scott
Urban, Marcel
Optics
High Energy Physics - Experiment
Quantum Physics
The aim of the DeLLight (Deflection of Light by Light) experiment is to observe for the first time the optical nonlinearity in vacuum, as predicted by Quantum Electrodynamics, by measuring the refraction of a low-intensity focused laser pulse (probe) when crossing the effective vacuum index gradient induced by a high-intensity focused laser pulse (pump). The deflection signal is amplified by using a Sagnac interferometer. Here, we report the first measurement performed with the DeLLight pilot interferometer, of the deflection of light by light in air, with a low-intensity pump. We show that the deflection signal measured by the interferometer is amplified, and is in agreement with the expected signal induced by the optical Kerr effect in air. Moreover, we verify that the signal varies as expected as a function of the pump intensity, the temporal delay between the pump and the probe, and their relative polarisation. These results represent a proof of concept of the DeLLight experimental method based on interferometric amplification.
title Interferometric measurement of the deflection of light by light in air
topic Optics
High Energy Physics - Experiment
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.13506