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Testing quantum mechanics in non-Minkowski space-time with high power lasers and 4th generation light sources

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Crowley, B. J. B., Bingham, R., Evans, R. G., Gericke, Dirk O., Landen, O. L., Murphy, C. D., Norreys, P. A., Rose, S. J. (Steven J.), Tschentscher, Th., Wang, C. H.-T., Wark, J. S. (Justin S.) and Gregori, G.. (2012) Testing quantum mechanics in non-Minkowski space-time with high power lasers and 4th generation light sources. Scientific Reports, Volume 2 (Number 491). ISSN 2045-2322

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Abstract

A common misperception of quantum gravity is that it requires accessing energies up to the Planck scale of 1019 GeV, which is unattainable from any conceivable particle collider. Thanks to the development of ultra-high intensity optical lasers, very large accelerations can be now the reached at their focal spot, thus mimicking, by virtue of the equivalence principle, a non Minkowski space-time. Here we derive a semiclassical extension of quantum mechanics that applies to different metrics, but under the assumption of weak gravity. We use our results to show that Thomson scattering of photons by uniformly accelerated electrons predicts an observable effect depending upon acceleration and local metric. In the laboratory frame, a broadening of the Thomson scattered x ray light from a fourth generation light source can be used to detect the modification of the metric associated to electrons accelerated in the field of a high power optical laser.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Quantum theory, Thomson scattering, Quantum gravity
Journal or Publication Title: Scientific Reports
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
ISSN: 2045-2322
Official Date: 2012
Volume: Volume 2
Number: Number 491
Identification Number: 10.1038/srep00491
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Open Access
Funder: Atomic Weapons Establishment (Great Britain), Science and Technology Facilities Council (Great Britain) (STFC)
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URI: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/48054

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