Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Prospect for extreme field science

  • Topical issue: Fundamental Physics and Ultra-High Laser Fields
  • Published:
The European Physical Journal D Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The kind of laser extreme light infrastructure (ELI) provides will usher in a class of experiments we have only dreamed of for years. The characteristics that ELI brings in include: the highest intensity ever, large fluence, and relatively high repetition rate. A personal view of the author on the prospect of harnessing this unprecedented opportunity for advancing science of extreme fields is presented. The first characteristic of ELI, its intensity, will allow us to access, as many have stressed already, extreme fields that hover around the Schwinger field or at the very least the neighboring fields in which vacuum begins to behave as a nonlinear medium. In this sense, we are seriously probing the “material” property of vacuum and thus the property that theory of relativity itself described and will entail. We will probe both special theory and general theory of relativity in regimes that have been never tested so far. We may see a glimpse into the reach of relativity or even its breakdown in some extreme regimes. We will learn Einstein and may even go beyond Einstein, if our journey is led. Laser-driven acceleration both by the laser field itself and by the wakefield that is triggered in a plasma is huge. Energies, if not luminosity, we can access, may be unprecedented going far beyond TeV. The nice thing about ELI is that it has relatively high repetition rate and average fluence as compared with other extreme lasers. This high fluence can be a key element that leads to applications to high energy physics, such as gamma-gamma collider driver experiment, and some gamma ray experiments that may be relevant in the frontier of photo-nuclear physics, and atomic energy applications. Needless to say, high fluence is one of most important features that industrial and medical applications may need. If we are lucky, we may see a door opens at the frontier of novel physics that may not be available by any other means. Finally, as the last lecture of this workshop the conference organizers charged this paper also to briefly reflect on the talks that have been given at the ELI meeting, which collectively pushed the envelope of the frontier of contemporary physics, an attempt is made to touch on as many talks as possible.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. Livingstone, J. Blewett, Particle Accelerators (McGraw-Hill, NY, 1962)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Handbook of Accelerator Physics and Engineering, edited by A. Chao, M. Tigner (World Scientific, Singapore, 1999)

    Google Scholar 

  3. The Future of Accelerator Physics, edited by T. Tajima (AIP, NY, 1996)

    Google Scholar 

  4. A. Suzuki, F. Takasaki, private communication (2007); A. Suzuki, Outlook: Accelerator Science, in ICFA Workshop (SLAC, Stanford, 2008)

  5. G.A. Mourou, T. Tajima, S.V. Bulanov, Rev. Mod. Phys. 78, 309 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. M. Marklund, P. Shukla, Rev. Mod. Phys. 78, 591 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. T. Tajima, J. Dawson, Phys. Rev. Lett. 43, 267 (1979)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. J. Lawson, The Physics of Charged Particle Beams (Clarendon, Oxford, 1977)

    Google Scholar 

  9. T. Tajima, Laser Part. Beams 3, 351 (1985)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. D. Strickland, G.A. Mourou, Opt. Commun. 56, 219 (1985)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Laser Acceleration of Particles, edited by P.J. Channel (AIP, NY, 1982)

    Google Scholar 

  12. T. Tajima, in First International Symposium on Laser-Driven Relativistic Plasmas Applied to Science, Industry and Medicine, AIP Conference Proceedings, edited by S.V. Bulanov, H. Daido (AIP, NY, 2008), p. 52 The statement in [12] (l.9 from bottom, p. 53) should read that “the group velocity”, rather than “the phase velocity as well as group velocity”.

    Google Scholar 

  13. V.I. Veksler, in CERN Symposium on High Energy Accelerators and Pion Physics (CERN, Genova, 1956), p. 80

    Google Scholar 

  14. A. Mikhailovskii, Theory of Plasma Instabilities (Consultant Bureau, NY, 1974)

    Google Scholar 

  15. A. Zhidkov, J. Koga, A. Sasaki, M. Uesaka, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 185009 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. S.V. Bulanov, T. Esirkepov, J.K. Koga, T. Tajima, D. Farina, Plasma Phys. Rep. 30, 196 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. M. Kando et al., in First International Symposium on Laser-Driven Relativistic Plasmas Applied to Science, Industry and Medicine, AIP Conference Proceedings, edited by S.V. Bulanov and H. Daido (AIP, NY, 2008), p. 19

    Google Scholar 

  18. J. Koga, in Applications in Laser-Plasma Interactions, edited by S. Eliezer, K. Mima (CRC, Roca Baton, 2009)

    Google Scholar 

  19. T. Raubenheimer, Advanced Accelerator Concepts Workshop (2008)

  20. S. Bulanov, T. Esirkepov, T. Tajima, Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 085001 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. T. Tajima, in Proc. Japan-Hungary Seminar, edited by J. Kanamori (IIAS, Kyoto, 2002)

    Google Scholar 

  22. N. Naumova et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 063902 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. O. Klimo, J. Psikal, J. Limpouch, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 11, 031301 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. S.V. Bulanov et al., Phys. Rev. E 67, 016405 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. T. Esirkepov, M. Borghesi, S. Bulanov, G. Mourou, T. Tajima, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 175003 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. M. Kando et al., in First International Symposium on Laser-Driven Relativistic Plasmas Applied to Science, Industry and Medicine, AIP Conference Proceedings, edited by S.V. Bulanov, H. Daido (AIP, NY, 2008), p. 197

    Google Scholar 

  27. S. Bulanov, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  28. J. Meyer-Ter-Vehn, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  29. T. Esirkepov, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  30. M. Kando, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  31. D. Habs, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  32. A. Pukhov, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  33. R. Hoerlein, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  34. H. Ruhl, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  35. U. Teubner et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 185001 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. P. Chen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 693 (1985)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  37. K. Nakajima et al., Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 292, 12 (1990); later by SLC/UCLA groups

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. T. Tajima, http://wwwapr.kansai.jaea.go.jp/presen/presen.html (2006)

  39. N. Rostoker, M. Reiser, Collective Methods of Acceleration (Harwood Academic, London, 1978); M. Reiser, Theory and Design of Changed Particle Beams (Wiley, NY, 1994)

    Google Scholar 

  40. S. Humphrey, Charged Particle Beams (Wiley, NY, 1990)

    Google Scholar 

  41. T. Tajima, F. Mako, Phys. Fluids 21, 1459 (1978)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. F. Mako, T. Tajima, Phys. Fluids 27, 1815 (1984)

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. P. Mora, Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 185002 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. E. Clarke et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 670 (2000); A. Maksimchuk et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4108 (2000); R.A. Snavely et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 2945 (2000). A review of many of recent works may be found in: J. Fuchs et al., Nature Phys. 2, 48 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. B. Rau, T. Tajima, Phys. Plasmas 5, 3575 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. K. Matsukado et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 215001 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  47. A. Yogo, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008); A. Yogo et al., Phys. Rev. E 77, 016401 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  48. T. Tajima, US Patent 6867419B2 and US patent 6906338B2 (2005)

  49. S. Bulanov, T. Tajima, J. Part. Accel. Soc. Jpn 2, 35 (2005); T. Esirkepov, S.V. Bulanov, M. Yamagiwa, T. Tajima, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 014803 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  50. S. Mangles et al., Nature 431, 535 (2004); C. Geddes et al., Nature 431, 538 (2004); J. Faures et al., Nature 431, 541 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  51. Y. Fukuda, A.Ya. Faenov, M. Tampo, A. Yogo, M. Kando, Y. Hayashi, T. Kameshima, A. Pirozhkov, T. Esirkepov, T. Nakamura, K. Ogura, M. Mori, H. Sakaki, T.A. Pikuz, A.S. Boldarev, V.A. Gasilov, P. Bolton, R. Kodama, T. Tajima, H. Daido, S.V. Bulanov, High energy ion acceleration by repetitive laser irradiation of clustergas target, presented at APS (2008)

  52. T. Esirkepov, M. Yamagiwa, T. Tajima, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 105001 (2006); X.Q. Yan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 135003 (2008); S. Rykovanov et al., New J. Phys. 10, 113005 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  53. M. Hegelich, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  54. M. Murakami et al., in First International Symposium on Laser-Driven Relativistic Plasmas Applied to Science, Industry and Medicine, AIP Conference Proceedings, edited by S.V. Bulanov and H. Daido (AIP, NY, 2008), p. 275

    Google Scholar 

  55. F. Terranova et al., Nucl. Phys., Sect. B Proc. Suppl. 143,572 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  56. O. Klimo, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  57. A. Henig, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  58. T. Liseykina, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  59. F. Pegoraro, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  60. M. Chen, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  61. J. Schreiber, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  62. For example, W. Dittrich, H. Gies, Probing the Quantum Vacuum: Perturbative Effective Action Approach in Quantum Electrodynamics and Its Applications (Springer, Berlin, 2000)

    Google Scholar 

  63. N. Bloembergen, Nonlinear Optics (Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1965)

    Google Scholar 

  64. K. Homma, Presentation at International Workshop on Physics and Technology of Laser-Electron Interaction toward the ILC (2007)

  65. H. Gies, J. Phys. A 41, 164039 (2008); H. Gies, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  66. M. Marklund, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  67. A. Dipiazza, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  68. G. Dunne, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  69. R. Schuetzwald, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  70. T. Heinzl, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  71. H. Reiss, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  72. M. Dekieviert, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  73. J. Rafelski, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  74. A. Zayakin, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  75. A. Smilga, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  76. T. Cohen, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  77. P. Thirolf, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  78. H. Weirfurter, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  79. L. Labun, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  80. F. Heberstreit, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  81. D. Blanschke, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  82. N.B. Narozhny et al., Phys. Lett. A 330, 1 (2004)

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  83. R. Schuetzhold, H. Gies, G.V. Dunne, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 130404 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  84. D. Habs, T. Tajima, J. Schreiber, C.P.J. Barty, M. Fujiwara, P.G. Thirolf, Eur. Phys. J. D 55, 279 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  85. G. Priebe et al., presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  86. R. Colella et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 34, 1472 (1975); U. Bonne et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 51, 1401 (1983)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  87. W. Unruh, Phys. Rev. D 14, 870 (1976)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  88. S.W. Hawking, Nature 248, 30 (1974)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  89. P.S. Chen, T. Tajima, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 256 (1999)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  90. O. Adriani et al. (PAMELA collaboration), arXiv:0810.4995 (2008)

  91. J. Chang et al., Nature 456, 362 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  92. H. Sato, T. Tati, Prog. Theor. Phys. 47, 1788 (1972)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  93. S. Coleman, S. Glashow, Phys. Lett. B 405, 249 (1997)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  94. G. Amelino-Camelia et al., Nature 393, 763 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  95. P.S. Chen, T. Tajima, Y. Takahashi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 161101 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  96. M. Teshima, private communication (2008); M. Hayashida, Ph.D. thesis (LMU, Munich, 2008)

  97. R. Diehl, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  98. V.S. Beskin, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  99. A. Kim, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  100. N.M. Naumova, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  101. N. Kumar, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  102. M. Thoma, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  103. I. Kuznetsova, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  104. M. Serbo, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  105. D. Habs, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  106. G. Baur, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  107. C. Mueller, presented at the ELI Workshop (2008)

  108. C.K. Bula et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 3116 (1996); D.L. Burke et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 1626 (1997)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  109. W. Bertozzi et al., Phys. Rev. C 78, 041601 (2008); N. Kikuzawa et al., APEX 2, 03652 (2009); C. Barty, T. Tajima, private communication (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ludwig Maximilian University and Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, 84578, Garching, Germany

    T. Tajima

  2. Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kyoto and KEK, Tsukuba, Japan

    T. Tajima

Authors
  1. T. Tajima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Tajima.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tajima, T. Prospect for extreme field science. Eur. Phys. J. D 55, 519–529 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00107-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00107-8

PACS

Search

Navigation