Institut für Theoretische Physik

Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen

The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Fabienne Schneiter
joint work with Dennis Rätzel and Daniel Braun

August 7, 2018
 Introduction
1

characteristics of the gravitational field?

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Methods - Linearized Approximation of General
Relativity
 Methods
Linearized Approximation of General Relativity
2

small energies → linearized metric

gµν = ηµν + hµν

metric of spacetime ↔ metric of flat spacetime + small perturbation

linearized Einstein equations

hµν = −16πGTµν

Lorenz gauge condition ∂ α hαβ = ∂β hαα /2

invariance under linear coordinate transformations xα → xα + ξ α that

satisfy ξ α = 0

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

 Methods
Linearized Approximation of General Relativity
3

geodesic equation
d2 γ µ ν
µ dγ dγ
ρ
= −Γ νρ
d%2 d% d%
geodesic deviation equation
D2 sµ dγ ν dγ ρ σ
aµ = = Rµνρσ s
d% d% d%

Riemann curvature tensor

1
Rαβγδ = (∂β ∂γ hαδ − ∂β ∂δ hαγ − ∂α ∂γ hβδ + ∂α ∂δ hβγ )
2
invariant under linear coordinate transformations
Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam
Light Beams in the Short-Wavelength Approximation
 Light Beams in the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Infinitely Thin Beam
4

infinitely thin beam

energy-momentum tensor:
Ttt = Tzz = −Ttz = ρ on the beamline
→ geometric ray optics

metric:1
gµν = ηµν + K inf Mµν ,  
p ! 1 0 0 −1
b − z + (b − z) + r
2 2 0 0 0 0
K inf = 4G log and Mµν = 
0

0 0 0
p
a − z + (a − z)2 + r2
−1 0 0 1
1 Richard C. Tolman, Paul Ehrenfest, and Boris Podolsky. On the gravitational field produced by
light. Phys. Rev. 37, 602-615, 1931.
Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam
 Light Beams in the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Cylindrical Beam
5

cylindrical beam of radius a

energy-momentum tensor:

ρMµν , r < a
Tµν =
0, a<r
→ continuous fluid

metric2 - exact solution to the Einstein equations:


Kinterior , r < a
gµν = ηµν − KMµν , K =
Kexterior , a < r

2 W. B. Bonnor. The gravitational field of light. Communications in Mathematical Physics,

13(3):163-174, 1969
Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam
 Light Beams in the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Other Examples
6

infinitely extended plane waves of circular or linear polarization3

infinitely thin beams or pulses of circular or linear polarization4

massless point particles5

3 J. W. van Holten. The gravitational field of a light wave. Fortschr. Phys. 59, No. 3-4, 284-295,
2011.
4 Dennis Rätzel, Martin Wilkens, Ralf Menzel. Gravitational properties of light - the gravitational
field of a laser pulse. New Journal of Physics, 18(2):023009, 2016.
5 P. C. Aichelburg, R. U. Sexl. On the gravitational field of a massless particle. General Relativity
and Gravitation, 2(4):303-312, 1971. W. B. Bonnor. The gravitational field of photons. General
Relativity and Gravitation, 41, 2009.
Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam
 Laser Beam
beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
7

solution of Maxwell’s equations

light has wave characteristics

beam divergence θ
beam waist w0

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Vector Potential
8

Ansatz
2 (z−ct)
−i θw
Aµ (t, x, y, z) = Avµ (x, y, θz)e 0

∞
X
vµ (x, y, θz) = θn vµ(n) (x, y, θz)
n=0

θ  1 and w0 fixed, circular polarization

Maxwell equations

Aµ (t, x, y, θz) = 0

Helmholtz equation
 
2 2 2 2 4i

∂x + ∂y + θ ∂θz + ∂θz vµ x, y, θz = 0
w0

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Vector Potential
9

leading and next-to-leading orders: Schrödinger equations

w0 2
i∂θz vµ(0) x, y, θz ∂x + ∂y2 vµ(0) x, y, θz




= −
4
w0 2
i∂θz vµ(1) x, y, θz ∂x + ∂y2 vµ(1) x, y, θz




= −
4

higher orders: Schrödinger equations with source term

w0 2 w0 2 (n−2)
i∂θz vµ(n) (x, y, θz) ∂x + ∂y2 vµ(n) (x, y, θz) −


= − ∂ v (x, y, θz)
4 4 θz µ

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Envelope Function
10

perturbative solution:

vaλ(0) = (0)λ
a v0
(1) iµ
vaλ(1) = −a √ (x − iλy) v0
2 2
µ2
 
µ
vaλ(2) = 1− vaλ(0)
2 2w04
µ2
 
µ µ
vaλ(3) = 4 + 2 r2 − 4 r4 vaλ(1)
4 w0 w0
µ2 3µ2 4 2µ3 6 µ4 8
 
vaλ(4) = 6− 4 r − 6 r + r vaλ(0)
16 w0 w0 2w08
−1
− µ2 r 2

p z w0
with a ∈ {x, y, z}, r = x2 + y2 , µ= 1 + iθ and v0 = µe
w0
  
1 0
1 
polarization vectors: (0)
a
λ
= √ (1)
−λi , a = 0
2 0 1
Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam
Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Energy-Momentum Tensor
11

vector potential
4
2
X
Aµ (t, x, y, z) = θn Avµ(n) (x, y, θz)ei θ (z−ct)
n=0

field strength tensor

Fµν = ∂µ Aν − ∂ν Aµ

energy-momentum tensor
 
Sz −Sx −Sy −Sz
1 −Sx σxx σxy σxz 
Tµν = Fµσ F σν σρ
− ηµν Fσρ F = 
−Sy σxy

4 σyy σyz 
−Sz σxz σyz σzz
~ Maxwell stress tensor σ
Poynting vector S,

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Metric
12

case 1: large distance between emitter and absorber

energy-momentum tensor metric perturbation

∞ ∞
(n) (n)
X X
Tαβ (x, y, θz) = θn Tαβ (x, y, θz) hαβ (x, y, θz) = θn hαβ (x, y, θz)
n=0 n=0

linearized Einstein equations - Poisson equations

(0) (0)
∆2d hαβ = −κTαβ ,
(1)
∆2d h(1) = −κTαβ ,
(n) (n)
2 (n−2)
∆2d hαβ = −κTαβ − ∂θz hαβ

Zsolution (with κ = 16πG/c4 )

∞
(n) κ  
(n)
hαβ (x, y, θz) = − dx0 dy 0 log (x−x0 )2 +(y−y 0 )2 Qαβ (x0 , y 0 , θz)
4π −∞

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Metric
13

case 2: short distance between emitter and absorber

retarded solution (with κ = 16πG/c4 )

x0 |
 
κ
Z ∞ Tαβ t − |~x−~c , ~x0
hαβ (t, ~x) = − d~x0
4π −∞ |~x − ~x0 |

phase fronts
θzρ2
 
1 2
φ(r, z) = 2 + z = constant
w0 w0 + θ2 z 2 θ

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Metric, Zeroth Order
14

(0) (0) (0)

htt = hzz = −htz = I (0)
for θ = 0: gravitational field of a cylindrical beam or of a light ray

acceleration of massive test particles at rest: γ̈ r ∼ ∂r I (0) , γ̈ z ∼ ∂z I (0)

long beam (blue), short beam (red)

a) b)
0.0 0.4
-0.2 0.2
-0.4 0.0
-0.6 -0.2
-0.8 -0.4
0 2 4 6 8 10 -4 -2 0 2 4

for power P0 ∼ 1015 W, beam waist w0 ∼ 10−3 m, at z = 0, r = w0 :

acceleration γ̈ r ∼ −10−18 ms−2
Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam
Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Metric, First Order - Frame Dragging
15

λ(1) λ(1) λ(1) λ(1) λ(1) λ(1)

htx = −hzx = Ix , hty = −hzy = Iy

frame dragging: deflection of massive test particles with γ̇ = (1, v/c, 0, 0):
x 2
λvκP0 θ −2 2
γ̈ y = −
2
2
e w0 (1+(θz/w0 ) )
2πw0 (1 + (θz/w0 ) )
due to spin angular momentum

for power P0 ∼ 1015 W, beam waist w0 ∼ 10−3 m, beam divergence θ ∼ 10−3 ,

velocity v = 10ms−1 at z = 0, x = w0 : acceleration d2 γ y /dt2 ∼ −10−29 ms−2

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Metric, Fourth Order - Deflection of the Parallel Co-Propagating Test Light Ray
16

deflection of the parallel co-propagating test light ray:

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Metric, Fourth Order - Deflection of the Parallel Co-Propagating Test Light Ray
17

propagation speed6
v<c
c − v ∼ θ2

Lorentz-invariant mass7
m2 = E 2 − c2 p~ 2 > 0

⇓
deflection of a parallel co-propagating test ray?

6 Vaclav Potocek, Gergely Ferenczi, Fiona Speirits, Stephen M. Barnett, Daniele Faccio, Miles J.
Padgett, Daniel Giovannini, Jacquiline Romero. Spatially structured photons that travel in free
space slower than the speed of light. Science, 347, 2015.
7 M. V. Federov, S. V. Vintskevich. Diverging light pulses in vacuum: Lorentz-invariant mass and
mean propagation speed. Laser Physics 27, 036202, 2017.
Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam
Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Metric, Fourth Order - Deflection of the Parallel Co-Propagating Test Light Ray
18

parallel co-propagating test light ray

γ̇ α = c(1, 0, 0, 1)

geodesic deviation for θz  w0 (κ = 16πG/c4 , power P0 )

   
κcP0 4 2 4 2 − 22 r 2
ax = − 4 θ r 2 x + 3 − 6x 2
e w0
16πw0 w0

→ attraction close to the beamline, vanishes far away from the

beamline

for P0 ∼ 1015 W, beam waist w0 ∼ 10−3 m, beam divergence θ ∼ 10−3 ,

at x = w0 , y = 0: acceleration ax ∼ −10−31 ms−2

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Laser Beam beyond the Short-Wavelength Approximation
Metric, Fourth Order - Deflection of the Parallel Co-Propagating Test Light Ray
19

comparison to a boosted massive cylinder

→ different due to the wave-like nature of light

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Summary and Outlook
20

summary
description of a laser beam
I beyond the short wavelength approximation
I satisfying Maxwell’s equations → wave-like nature of light

new gravitational phenomena

I frame dragging
I deflection of a parallel co-propagating test light ray

outlook
I gravitational interaction of two laser beams?
I gravitational fields of a laser pulse beyond the short-wavelength
approximation?

Fabienne Schneiter | The Gravitational Field of a Laser Beam

Fabienne Schneiter, Dennis Rätzel, Daniel Braun. The gravitational field of a
laser beam beyond the short wavelength approximation. arXiv: 1804.08706

.
Fabienne Schneiter, Dennis Rätzel, Daniel Braun. The gravitational field of a
laser beam beyond the short wavelength approximation. arXiv: 1804.08706

Thank you for your attention