Dense GeV electron-positron pairs generated by lasers in near-critical-density plasmas.

ABSTRACT: Pair production can be triggered by high-intensity lasers via the Breit-Wheeler process. However, the straightforward laser-laser colliding for copious numbers of pair creation requires light intensities several orders of magnitude higher than possible with the ongoing laser facilities. Despite the numerous proposed approaches, creating high-energy-density pair plasmas in laboratories is still challenging. Here we present an all-optical scheme for overdense pair production by two counter-propagating lasers irradiating near-critical-density plasmas at only ∼10²² W cm^-2. In this scheme, bright γ-rays are generated by radiation-trapped electrons oscillating in the laser fields. The dense γ-photons then collide with the focused counter-propagating lasers to initiate the m

SUBMITTER: Zhu XL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5171869 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature