Can Lasers Produce Matter Through 'Collisions'?

[char20]

We all know about particles colliding and producing various other particles plus energy i.e. EM radiation, but is the reverse possible? Is it be possible for laser beams to 'collide' and produce matter? Has this been done experimentally or is there a theoretical reason that it cannot happen?

 

[mathman]

Photons (not necessarily laser beams) can collide and produce matter-antimatter pairs. This happened right after the big bang. In order for this to occur, a very high density of photons is needed to get collisions.

 

[ZapperZ]

We all know about particles colliding and producing various other particles plus energy i.e. EM radiation, but is the reverse possible? Is it be possible for laser beams to 'collide' and produce matter? Has this been done experimentally or is there a theoretical reason that it cannot happen?

Look up "pair production".

Zz.

 

[Waterfox]

Here's something very similar http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/2345/laser-creates-billions-particles-antimatter

 

[mrspeedybob]

Light can be a source of gravitation so if 2 or more lasers of sufficient intensity intersect and form a region with sufficient energy density to form a black hole then they would be unable to continue on past the region of intersection. I suppose a black hole should be considered "matter" regardless of what is inside the event horizon since that is undefinable anyway.