In quantum theory, the vacuum can be described as a mixture of short-lived electron-positron pairs fluctuating in and out of existence. Under the action of a strong electromagnetic field, these fluctuations can become polarized and thus the quantum vacuum acts as a non-linear dielectric medium for a probe photon propagating through the vacuum [1]. Nowadays, the strongest possible electromagnetic fields are provided by intense lasers and thus they are expected to serve as a viable platform for experimental evidence of vacuum polarization. This project assumes the modification and use of current Particle-In-Cell codes to simulate nonlinear behavior of the vacuum during the interaction of very strong laser pulses. These tools enable to propose the experimental setup for observing the vacuum polarization effects in particle-field interactions [2].
[1] Heisenberg, Z. Phys. 98, 714 (1936)
[2] King, High Power Laser Sci. Eng. 4, e5 (2016)