Nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production using polarized photons from inverse Compton scattering

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Seipt, Daniel, Samuelsson, Mathias, Blackburn, Tom
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Seipt, Daniel
Samuelsson, Mathias
Blackburn, Tom
author_facet Seipt, Daniel
Samuelsson, Mathias
Blackburn, Tom
contents Observing multiphoton electron-positron pair production (the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process) requires high-energy $γ$ rays to interact with strong electromagnetic fields. In order for these observations to be as precise as possible, the $γ$ rays would ideally be both mono-energetic and highly polarized. Here we perform Monte Carlo simulations of an experimental configuration that accomplishes this in two stages. First, a multi-GeV electron beam interacts with a moderately intense laser pulse to produce a bright, highly polarized beam of $γ$ rays by inverse Compton scattering. Second, after removing the primary electrons, these $γ$ rays collide with another, more intense, laser pulse in order to produce pairs. We show that it is possible to measure the $γ$-ray polarization dependence of the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process in near-term experiments, using a 100-TW class laser and currently available electron beams. Furthermore, it would also be possible to observe harmonic structure and the perturbative-to-nonperturbative transition if such a laser were colocated with a future linear collider.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_08559
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production using polarized photons from inverse Compton scattering
Seipt, Daniel
Samuelsson, Mathias
Blackburn, Tom
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Plasma Physics
Observing multiphoton electron-positron pair production (the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process) requires high-energy $γ$ rays to interact with strong electromagnetic fields. In order for these observations to be as precise as possible, the $γ$ rays would ideally be both mono-energetic and highly polarized. Here we perform Monte Carlo simulations of an experimental configuration that accomplishes this in two stages. First, a multi-GeV electron beam interacts with a moderately intense laser pulse to produce a bright, highly polarized beam of $γ$ rays by inverse Compton scattering. Second, after removing the primary electrons, these $γ$ rays collide with another, more intense, laser pulse in order to produce pairs. We show that it is possible to measure the $γ$-ray polarization dependence of the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process in near-term experiments, using a 100-TW class laser and currently available electron beams. Furthermore, it would also be possible to observe harmonic structure and the perturbative-to-nonperturbative transition if such a laser were colocated with a future linear collider.
title Nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production using polarized photons from inverse Compton scattering
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.08559