Probing non-perturbative QED with electron-laser collisions

Understand

The vast majority of QED results are obtained in relatively weak fields and so in the framework of perturbation theory.

• However, forthcoming laser facilities providing extremely high fields can be used to enter not-yet-studied regimes.
• Here, a scheme is proposed that might be used to reach a supercritical regime of radiation reaction or even the fully non-perturbative regime of quantum electrodynamics.
• The scheme considers the collision of a 100 GeV-class electron beam with a counterpropagating ultraintense electromagnetic pulse.