Scientists simulate the conditions that allow photons to collide with photons by using lasers

As far as quantum physics is concerned, one of the most striking predictions is that matter can be produced entirely from light (i.e., photons). Pulsars are an example of an object capable of achieving this feat.

In a recent study reported in the journal Physical Review Letters, a research team led by scientists at Osaka University simulated the conditions that allow photons to collide with photons just by using lasers.

The ease of setup and comfort of implementation at the currently available laser intensities make it a promising candidate for experimental implementation in the near term.

Photon to photon collisions are theorized to be the fundamental method of creating matter in the universe, derived from Einstein's famous equation E=mc 2. In fact, scientists have created matter indirectly through light: through the high-speed acceleration of metal ions such as gold to bind to each other.

At such high speeds, each ion is surrounded by photons, and as they skim past each other, matter and antimatter are created. However, due to the need for extremely high power lasers, it is difficult to experimentally produce substances in modern laboratories using only lasers.

Simulating how such a feat would be achieved in the lab would be an experimental breakthrough, and one that scientists are hoping to achieve.

Sugimoto added, "The collider contains dense gamma rays that are ten times denser than electrons in a plasma and a million times more energetic than photons in a laser."

The photon-photon collision in the collider produces an electron-positron pair, which is accelerated by the plasma electric field generated by the laser. This produces a positron beam.

Dr Vyacheslav Lukin, program director at the National Science Foundation, which supported the work, said: "This research demonstrates a potential way to explore the mysteries of the universe in a laboratory setting. The future possibilities for high-power laser facilities today and tomorrow become even more interesting."

The application of this work to Star Trek's fictional matter-energy conversion technology is still only fictional. However, the work could help to experimentally validate theories of the universe's composition, and may even help to figure out early unknown physics.

Source: Laser Network