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

Xing-Long Zhu, Tong-Pu Yu (), Zheng-Ming Sheng, Yan Yin (), Ion Cristian Edmond Turcu and Alexander Pukhov
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Xing-Long Zhu: College of Science, National University of Defense Technology
Tong-Pu Yu: College of Science, National University of Defense Technology
Zheng-Ming Sheng: Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Yan Yin: College of Science, National University of Defense Technology
Ion Cristian Edmond Turcu: School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University
Alexander Pukhov: Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: 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 multi-photon Breit–Wheeler process. Particle-in-cell simulations indicate that one may generate a high-yield (1.05 × 1011) overdense (4 × 1022 cm−3) GeV positron beam using 10 PW scale lasers. Such a bright pair source has many practical applications and could be basis for future compact high-luminosity electron–positron colliders.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13686

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