Topic: Photon scattering by electrons, nuclei and... quantum vacuum.
One of the most fundamental processes of light-matter interaction is the scattering of photons by atoms and ions. Three main channels contribute to this process, namely scattering by bound electrons, a nucleus and quantum fluctuations of the vacuum. In his presentation, Andrey Surzhykov will review recent experimental and theoretical investigations of these scattering channels. In particular, he will show how the analysis of soft x-ray scattering by bound electrons can be used as an effective tool to determine the lifetimes of highly charged ions. Regarding the high energy regime, we will discuss how an accurate treatment of the interaction of electron-positron pairs with the Coulomb field of a nucleus has resolved the long-standing discrepancy between experimental and theoretical findings for the Delbrück scattering. Moreover, the significance of elastic photon scattering as a key process for the Gamma Factory initiative at CERN will be highlighted.
To predict the number of participants, please fill out the application form by February 16, 2026.
Photography and filming will take place during the event, the materials will be posted on the social media and website of the Latvian Quantum Initiative.
![](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?app_id=957173808510696&sdk=joey&display=popup&ref=plugin&src=share_button&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.quantumlatvia.lu.lv%2Fen%2Fabout%2Fnews%2Fdetail-view%2Ft%2F107183%2F&picture=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.quantumlatvia.lu.lv%2Ffileadmin%2Fuser_upload%2Flu_portal%2Fquantumlatvia%2FNews%2FQuantum_Colloquim_February_19_Andrey_Surzhykov_5_.png&description=We invite you to the colloquium of the "Quantum Technology Initiative" project on February 19, 2026 at 16:30 in the Auditorium 501 of the House of Science of the University of Latvia (Jelgavas iela 3, 5th floor). Speaker at the colloquium will be Andrey Surzhykov, researcher at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany.){kind=link}