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Relativistic positron creation using ultraintense short pulse lasers
Hui Chen1, Scott C Wilks, James D Bonlie
1Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA.
Abstract:
We measure up to 2x10;{10} positrons per steradian ejected out the back of approximately mm thick gold targets when illuminated with short ( approximately 1 ps) ultraintense ( approximately 1x10;{20} W/cm;{2}) laser pulses. Positrons are produced predominately by the Bethe-Heitler process and have an effective temperature of 2-4 MeV, with the distribution peaking at 4-7 MeV. The angular distribution of the positrons is anisotropic. Modeling based on the measurements indicate the positron density to be approximately 10;{16} positrons/cm;{3}, the highest ever created in the laboratory.
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