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

Journal Article · Sat Jul 25 04:00:00 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, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1153; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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