Horizons of Strong Field Physics

Understand

Discussing the limitations on the validity of classical electrodynamics, we show that present day laser pulse technology applied to head-on-collisions with relativistic electrons generates fields strong enough to permit experimentation at the limits of validity of the Lorentz force, and the development of experimental tests of Mach's principle.

• We also discuss more distant opportunities for exploring the nature of laws of physics and the vacuum structure.
• We then conclude that the predictions of quantum electrodynamics in the presence of critical fields are not completely satisfactory and argue that the study of Laser materialization into particle pairs opens a new domain of quantum electrodynamics.