Laser irradiated enhancement of the atomic electron capture rate in search of new physics

Electron capture processes are important in the search for new physics. In this context, a high capture rate is desired. We investigate the possibility of enhancing the electron capture rate by irradiating laser beam to 'atom'. The possibility of such enhancement can be understood as a consequence of an enhancement of the electron wave function at the origin, Ψ(0), through an increased effective mass of the electron. We find that an order of magnitude enhancement can be realized by using a laser with intensity on the order of 1010 W/mm2 and a photon energy on the order of 10-3 eV. (author)