Bounding elastic photon-photon scattering at s≈1 MeV using a laser-plasma platform

R. Watt; B. Kettle; E. Gerstmayr; B. King; A. Alejo; S. Astbury; C. Baird; S. Bohlen; M. Campbell; C. Colgan; D. Dannheim; C. Gregory; H. Harsh; P. Hatfield; J. Hinojosa; D. Hollatz; Y. Katzir; J. Morton; C. D. Murphy; A. Nurnberg; J. Osterhoff; G. Pérez-Callejo; K. Põder; P. P. Rajeev; C. Roedel; F. Roeder; F. C. Salgado; G. M. Samarin; G. Sarri; A. Seidel; C. Spindloe; S. Steinke; M. J.V. Streeter; A. G.R. Thomas; C. Underwood; W. Wu; M. Zepf; S. J. Rose; S. P.D. Mangles

doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139247

Bounding elastic photon-photon scattering at s≈1 MeV using a laser-plasma platform

R. Watt, B. Kettle, E. Gerstmayr, B. King^*, A. Alejo, S. Astbury, C. Baird, S. Bohlen, M. Campbell, C. Colgan, D. Dannheim, C. Gregory, H. Harsh, P. Hatfield, J. Hinojosa, D. Hollatz, Y. Katzir, J. Morton, C. D. Murphy, A. NurnbergJ. Osterhoff, G. Pérez-Callejo, K. Põder, P. P. Rajeev, C. Roedel, F. Roeder, F. C. Salgado, G. M. Samarin, G. Sarri, A. Seidel, C. Spindloe, S. Steinke, M. J.V. Streeter, A. G.R. Thomas, C. Underwood, W. Wu, M. Zepf, S. J. Rose, S. P.D. Mangles

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We report on a direct search for elastic photon-photon scattering using x-ray and γ photons from a laser-plasma based experiment. A γ photon beam produced by a laser wakefield accelerator provided a broadband γ spectrum extending to above [Figure presented]. These were collided with a dense x-ray field produced by the emission from a laser heated germanium foil at [Figure presented], corresponding to an invariant mass of [Figure presented]. In these asymmetric collisions elastic scattering removes one x-ray and one high-energy γ photon and outputs two lower energy γ photons. No changes in the γ photon spectrum were observed as a result of the collisions allowing us to place a 95% upper bound on the cross section of [Figure presented]. Although far from the QED prediction, this represents the lowest upper limit obtained so far for [Figure presented].

Original language	English
Article number	139247
Number of pages	8
Journal	Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics
Volume	861
Early online date	20 Jan 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139247
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2025

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© 2025 The Author(s)

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Bounding elastic photon-photon scattering at √𝑠 ≈ 1 MeV using a laser-plasma platform
© 2025 The Author(s).
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Watt, R., Kettle, B., Gerstmayr, E., King, B., Alejo, A., Astbury, S., Baird, C., Bohlen, S., Campbell, M., Colgan, C., Dannheim, D., Gregory, C., Harsh, H., Hatfield, P., Hinojosa, J., Hollatz, D., Katzir, Y., Morton, J., Murphy, C. D., ... Mangles, S. P. D. (2025). Bounding elastic photon-photon scattering at s≈1 MeV using a laser-plasma platform. Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics, 861, Article 139247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139247

@article{18d7a31119864695828f660feebddacb,

title = "Bounding elastic photon-photon scattering at s≈1 MeV using a laser-plasma platform",

abstract = "We report on a direct search for elastic photon-photon scattering using x-ray and γ photons from a laser-plasma based experiment. A γ photon beam produced by a laser wakefield accelerator provided a broadband γ spectrum extending to above [Figure presented]. These were collided with a dense x-ray field produced by the emission from a laser heated germanium foil at [Figure presented], corresponding to an invariant mass of [Figure presented]. In these asymmetric collisions elastic scattering removes one x-ray and one high-energy γ photon and outputs two lower energy γ photons. No changes in the γ photon spectrum were observed as a result of the collisions allowing us to place a 95% upper bound on the cross section of [Figure presented]. Although far from the QED prediction, this represents the lowest upper limit obtained so far for [Figure presented].",

author = "R. Watt and B. Kettle and E. Gerstmayr and B. King and A. Alejo and S. Astbury and C. Baird and S. Bohlen and M. Campbell and C. Colgan and D. Dannheim and C. Gregory and H. Harsh and P. Hatfield and J. Hinojosa and D. Hollatz and Y. Katzir and J. Morton and Murphy, {C. D.} and A. Nurnberg and J. Osterhoff and G. P{\'e}rez-Callejo and K. P{\~o}der and Rajeev, {P. P.} and C. Roedel and F. Roeder and Salgado, {F. C.} and Samarin, {G. M.} and G. Sarri and A. Seidel and C. Spindloe and S. Steinke and Streeter, {M. J.V.} and Thomas, {A. G.R.} and C. Underwood and W. Wu and M. Zepf and Rose, {S. J.} and Mangles, {S. P.D.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s)",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139247",

language = "English",

volume = "861",

journal = "Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics",

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Watt, R, Kettle, B, Gerstmayr, E, King, B, Alejo, A, Astbury, S, Baird, C, Bohlen, S, Campbell, M, Colgan, C, Dannheim, D, Gregory, C, Harsh, H, Hatfield, P, Hinojosa, J, Hollatz, D, Katzir, Y, Morton, J, Murphy, CD, Nurnberg, A, Osterhoff, J, Pérez-Callejo, G, Põder, K, Rajeev, PP, Roedel, C, Roeder, F, Salgado, FC, Samarin, GM, Sarri, G, Seidel, A, Spindloe, C, Steinke, S, Streeter, MJV, Thomas, AGR, Underwood, C, Wu, W, Zepf, M, Rose, SJ & Mangles, SPD 2025, 'Bounding elastic photon-photon scattering at s≈1 MeV using a laser-plasma platform', Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics, vol. 861, 139247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139247

TY - JOUR

T1 - Bounding elastic photon-photon scattering at s≈1 MeV using a laser-plasma platform

AU - Watt, R.

AU - Kettle, B.

AU - Gerstmayr, E.

AU - King, B.

AU - Alejo, A.

AU - Astbury, S.

AU - Baird, C.

AU - Bohlen, S.

AU - Campbell, M.

AU - Colgan, C.

AU - Dannheim, D.

AU - Gregory, C.

AU - Harsh, H.

AU - Hatfield, P.

AU - Hinojosa, J.

AU - Hollatz, D.

AU - Katzir, Y.

AU - Morton, J.

AU - Murphy, C. D.

AU - Nurnberg, A.

AU - Osterhoff, J.

AU - Pérez-Callejo, G.

AU - Põder, K.

AU - Rajeev, P. P.

AU - Roedel, C.

AU - Roeder, F.

AU - Salgado, F. C.

AU - Samarin, G. M.

AU - Sarri, G.

AU - Seidel, A.

AU - Spindloe, C.

AU - Steinke, S.

AU - Streeter, M. J.V.

AU - Thomas, A. G.R.

AU - Underwood, C.

AU - Wu, W.

AU - Zepf, M.

AU - Rose, S. J.

AU - Mangles, S. P.D.

PY - 2025/2/1

Y1 - 2025/2/1

N2 - We report on a direct search for elastic photon-photon scattering using x-ray and γ photons from a laser-plasma based experiment. A γ photon beam produced by a laser wakefield accelerator provided a broadband γ spectrum extending to above [Figure presented]. These were collided with a dense x-ray field produced by the emission from a laser heated germanium foil at [Figure presented], corresponding to an invariant mass of [Figure presented]. In these asymmetric collisions elastic scattering removes one x-ray and one high-energy γ photon and outputs two lower energy γ photons. No changes in the γ photon spectrum were observed as a result of the collisions allowing us to place a 95% upper bound on the cross section of [Figure presented]. Although far from the QED prediction, this represents the lowest upper limit obtained so far for [Figure presented].

AB - We report on a direct search for elastic photon-photon scattering using x-ray and γ photons from a laser-plasma based experiment. A γ photon beam produced by a laser wakefield accelerator provided a broadband γ spectrum extending to above [Figure presented]. These were collided with a dense x-ray field produced by the emission from a laser heated germanium foil at [Figure presented], corresponding to an invariant mass of [Figure presented]. In these asymmetric collisions elastic scattering removes one x-ray and one high-energy γ photon and outputs two lower energy γ photons. No changes in the γ photon spectrum were observed as a result of the collisions allowing us to place a 95% upper bound on the cross section of [Figure presented]. Although far from the QED prediction, this represents the lowest upper limit obtained so far for [Figure presented].

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85215225746&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139247

DO - 10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139247

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85215225746

SN - 0370-2693

VL - 861

JO - Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics

JF - Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics

M1 - 139247

ER -

Bounding elastic photon-photon scattering at s≈1 MeV using a laser-plasma platform

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