Projects per year
Abstract
Matter can be transferred into energy and the opposite transformation is also possible by use of high-power lasers. A laser pulse in plasma can convert its energy into γ-rays and then e −e + pairs via the multi-photon Breit-Wheeler process. Production of dense positrons at GeV energies is very challenging since extremely high laser intensity ∼ 1024 Wcm−2 is required. Here we propose an all-optical scheme for ultra-bright γ-ray emission and dense positron production with lasers at intensity of 1022−23 Wcm−2 . By irradiating two colliding elliptically-polarized lasers onto two diamondlike carbon foils, electrons in the focal region of one foil are rapidly accelerated by the laser radiation pressure and interact with the other intense laser pulse which penetrates through the second foil due to relativistically induced foil transparency. This symmetric configuration enables efficient Compton back-scattering and results in ultra-bright γ-photon emission with brightness of ∼ 1025 photons/s/mm2 /mrad2 /0.1%BW at 15 MeV and intensity of 5×1023 Wcm−2 . Our first three-dimensional simulation with quantum-electrodynamics incorporated shows that a GeV positron beam with density of 2.5×1022 cm−3 and flux of 1.6×1010/shot is achieved. Collective effects of the pair plasma may be also triggered, offering a window on investigating laboratory astrophysics at PW laser facilities.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Scientific Reports |
Early online date | 11 Dec 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 11 Dec 2017 |
Keywords
- high power lasers
- laser pulse
- plasma
- energy conversion
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Ultra-bright gamma-ray emission and dense positron production from two laser-driven colliding foils'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 2 Finished
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Nonlinear Optics and Dynamics of Relativistically Transparent Plasmas
McKenna, P. (Principal Investigator), Gray, R. (Co-investigator) & King, M. (Research Co-investigator)
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
1/11/17 → 31/10/22
Project: Research
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Laser-Plasma Interactions at the Intensity Frontier: the Transition to the QED-Plasma Regime
McKenna, P. (Principal Investigator)
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
11/06/15 → 10/06/19
Project: Research
Datasets
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Ultra-bright gamma-ray emission and dense positron production from laser radiation pressure acceleration of two colliding foils
McKenna, P. (Creator) & Yu, T. (Creator), University of Strathclyde, 26 Jun 2017
DOI: 10.15129/5a84ecba-17bd-4750-971c-82593cf45d77
Dataset