RUI: Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Matter in Intense Laser Fields

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The work aims at providing a better understanding of the interaction of matter with laser pulses with the aid of computer simulations. The projects focus on new phenomena that occur if lasers are sufficiently intense to trigger the creation of particle-antiparticle pairs from the vacuum and examine the fundamental role of photons as mediators of forces in atoms. The work is based on a new approach to quantum electrodynamics with the goal to manipulate and control interactions between energetic particles. The interdisciplinary character of the new era of laser controlled matter creation processes is expected to provide new connections between atomic, nuclear, plasma and laser physics. Due to the fundamental nature of the processes examined, progress could advance other areas such as the development of accelerator-based bright light sources, providing new ways to control atomic, chemical and biological processes on very short time scales.The visualization-based approach to computational quantum field theory will help to resolve conceptual controversies while providing more intuitive and less abstract ways to learn and teach relativistic quantum mechanics. An important mission is to give undergraduate students, starting in their freshman year, the opportunity to gain personal research experience. This educational experience provides them with important skills including working as a team, gaining the endurance, intellectual flexibility and experience to tackle serious research problems, and communicating results in conferences and publications.