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Title: High e+/e– ratio dense pair creation with 1021W.cm–2 laser irradiating solid targets

Journal Article · · Scientific Reports
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/srep13968· OSTI ID:1325563
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3]
  1. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
  2. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
  3. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

In this study, we report results of new pair creation experiments using ~100 Joule pulses of the Texas Petawatt Laser to irradiate solid gold and platinum targets, with intensities up to ~1.9 × 1021 W.cm–2 and pulse durations as short as ~130 fs. Positron to electron (e+/e–) ratios >15% were observed for many thick disk and rod targets, with the highest e+/e– ratio reaching ~50% for a Pt rod. The inferred pair yield was ~ few ×1010 with emerging pair density reaching ~1015/cm3 so that the pair skin depth becomes < pair jet transverse size. These results represent major milestones towards the goal of creating a significant quantity of dense pair-dominated plasmas with e+/e– approaching 100% and pair skin depth << pair plasma size, which will have wide-ranging applications to astrophysics and fundamental physics.

Research Organization:
Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0001481
OSTI ID:
1325563
Journal Information:
Scientific Reports, Vol. 5; ISSN 2045-2322
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 58 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (14)

Dense GeV electron–positron pairs generated by lasers in near-critical-density plasmas journal December 2016
Spectral and spatial characterisation of laser-driven positron beams journal October 2016
Improved large-energy-range magnetic electron-positron spectrometer for experiments with the Texas Petawatt Laser journal March 2019
Collimated GeV attosecond electron–positron bunches from a plasma channel driven by 10 PW lasers journal January 2019
Scaling laws for positron production in laser--electron-beam collisions text January 2017
Generation of GeV positron and γ -photon beams with controllable angular momentum by intense lasers journal August 2018
Polarized positron beams via intense two-color laser pulses text January 2019
Expansion of a mildly relativistic hot pair cloud into an electron-proton plasma journal June 2018
MeV photoelectron spectrometer for ultraintense laser interactions with atoms and molecules journal July 2019
Gradient magnet design for simultaneous detection of electrons and positrons in the intermediate MeV range journal August 2019
High-energy radiation and pair production by Coulomb processes in particle-in-cell simulations journal October 2019
Polarized positron beams via intense two-color laser pulses text January 2019
Ultrashort megaelectronvolt positron beam generation based on laser-accelerated electrons journal March 2016
Gradient Magnet Design for Simultaneous Detection of Electrons and Positrons in the Intermediate MeV Range text January 2019

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