Laser-assisted bremsstrahlung and electron-positron pair creation in relativistic laser fields

Journal Article · Sat Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3204559· OSTI ID:21344343

Loetstedt, Erik ^[1]

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1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Postfach 103980, 69029 Heidelberg (Germany)

An electron submitted to a relativistically strong laser field emits Compton harmonics at frequencies satisfying the nonlinear Compton formula. We investigate the scenario when in addition to the laser field, also a nuclear Coulomb field is present to accelerate the electron. In this case we may speak about laser-assisted bremsstrahlung, with radiation resulting from the combined effect of the Coulomb and laser field. The theoretical method employed is fully relativistic quantum electrodynamics, where in particular the laser-dressed Dirac-Volkov propagator requires proper treatment. Electron-positron pair creation is a physical process related to bremsstrahlung by a crossing symmetry of quantum electrodynamics. We consider pair creation in the combined fields of a laser, a nucleus and a high-frequency photon. We show that the total number of created pairs is not affected by the laser, provided the energy of the high-energy photon exceeds the pair creation threshold, but that the differential cross section is strongly enhanced in a particular direction, making a small angle with the laser beam. The physical picture is that the electron-positron pair is created by the high-energy photon, and subsequently accelerated by the laser field.

• OSTI ID: 21344343
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1153, Issue 1; Conference: 2. international symposium on laser-driven relativistic plasmas applied to science, industry and medicine, Kyoto (Japan), 19-23 Jan 2009; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3204559; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
COULOMB FIELD
CROSSING SYMMETRY
DIFFERENTIAL CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRON-POSITRON INTERACTIONS
ELECTRONS
HARMONICS
LASER RADIATION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PAIR PRODUCTION
PHOTONS
POSITRONS
PROPAGATOR
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
ANTILEPTONS
ANTIMATTER
ANTIPARTICLES
BOSONS
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRODYNAMICS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY RANGE
FERMIONS
FIELD THEORIES
INTERACTIONS
LEPTON-LEPTON INTERACTIONS
LEPTONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MATTER
OSCILLATIONS
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
RADIATIONS
SYMMETRY