Testing Strong Field QED Close to the Fully Nonperturbative Regime Using Aligned Crystals

Area of Science:

• Quantum Electrodynamics (QED)
• High-Energy Physics
• Condensed Matter Physics

Background:

• Strong field quantum electrodynamics (QED) involves electromagnetic fields near the critical field strength (Fcr).
• A conjectured regime exists where electron-effective coupling with radiation approaches unity at field strengths of approximately Fcr/α^(3/2).
• Testing this nonperturbative regime requires extreme electromagnetic field strengths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally test predictions of QED in the strong field regime.
• To investigate the nonperturbative coupling of electrons with radiation.
• To utilize channeling radiation for probing extreme electromagnetic fields.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing ultrarelativistic electrons (TeV energies) interacting with thin tungsten crystals.
• Measuring the angularly resolved single photon intensity spectrum.
• Leveraging the unique conditions of channeling radiation for single photon emission and maximal field strength experienced by electrons.

Main Results:

• The proposed setup allows testing QED predictions near the conjectured nonperturbative regime.
• Electrons experience field strengths exceeding Fcr by over two orders of magnitude in their rest frame.
• The experimental conditions facilitate the study of electron-radiation interaction at near-unity coupling.

Conclusions:

• Channeling radiation in tungsten crystals provides a viable method to explore the strong field regime of QED.
• The experimental setup enables probing fundamental QED interactions under extreme conditions.
• This research offers a pathway to validate theoretical predictions in a previously inaccessible domain.