Target material dependence of positron generation from high intensity laser-matter interactions

Williams, G. J.; Barnak, D.; Fiksel, G.; Hazi, A.; Kerr, S.; Krauland, C.; Link, A.; Manuel, M. J. -E.; Nagel, S. R.; Park, J.; Peebles, J.; Pollock, B. B.; Beg, F. N.; Betti, R.; Chen, Hui

doi:10.1063/1.4971235

Title: Target material dependence of positron generation from high intensity laser-matter interactions

Abstract

Here, the effective scaling of positron-electron pair production by direct, ultraintense laser-matter interaction is investigated for a range of target materials and thicknesses. An axial magnetic field, acting as a focusing lens, was employed to measure positron signals for targets with atomic numbers as low as copper (Z – 29). The pair production yield was found to be consistent with the Bethe-Heitler mechanism, where the number of positrons emitted into a 1 steradian cone angle from the target rear was found to be proportional to Z². The unexpectedly low scaling results from Coulomb collisions that act to stop or scatter positrons into high angles. Monte Carlo simulations support the experimental results, providing a comprehensive power-law scaling relationship for all elemental materials and densities.

Authors:

^[1];

^[2]; Fiksel, G. ^[3];

^[4];

^[5]; Krauland, C. ^[6]; Link, A. ^[4]; Manuel, M. J. -E. ^[7];

^[4]; Park, J. ^[4]; Peebles, J. ^[6]; Pollock, B. B. ^[4]; Beg, F. N. ^[6]; Betti, R. ^[2]; Chen, Hui ^[4]

Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)
Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)
Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States); Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (Canada)
Univ. of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

Publication Date:: Tue Dec 06 00:00:00 EST 2016

Research Org.:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1343026

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1420605

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-680072
Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X; TRN: US1701176

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344; 13-LW-076

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Physics of Plasmas

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 23; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION

Citation Formats


                    Williams, G. J., Barnak, D., Fiksel, G., Hazi, A., Kerr, S., Krauland, C., Link, A., Manuel, M. J. -E., Nagel, S. R., Park, J., Peebles, J., Pollock, B. B., Beg, F. N., Betti, R., and Chen, Hui. Target material dependence of positron generation from high intensity laser-matter interactions.  United States: N. p., 2016. 
Web.  doi:10.1063/1.4971235.

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                    Williams, G. J., Barnak, D., Fiksel, G., Hazi, A., Kerr, S., Krauland, C., Link, A., Manuel, M. J. -E., Nagel, S. R., Park, J., Peebles, J., Pollock, B. B., Beg, F. N., Betti, R., & Chen, Hui. Target material dependence of positron generation from high intensity laser-matter interactions.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4971235

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                    Williams, G. J., Barnak, D., Fiksel, G., Hazi, A., Kerr, S., Krauland, C., Link, A., Manuel, M. J. -E., Nagel, S. R., Park, J., Peebles, J., Pollock, B. B., Beg, F. N., Betti, R., and Chen, Hui. Tue .  
"Target material dependence of positron generation from high intensity laser-matter interactions".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4971235.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1343026.

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@article{osti_1343026,

  title        = {Target material dependence of positron generation from high intensity laser-matter interactions},

  author       = {Williams, G. J. and Barnak, D. and Fiksel, G. and Hazi, A. and Kerr, S. and Krauland, C. and Link, A. and Manuel, M. J. -E. and Nagel, S. R. and Park, J. and Peebles, J. and Pollock, B. B. and Beg, F. N. and Betti, R. and Chen, Hui},

  abstractNote = {Here, the effective scaling of positron-electron pair production by direct, ultraintense laser-matter interaction is investigated for a range of target materials and thicknesses. An axial magnetic field, acting as a focusing lens, was employed to measure positron signals for targets with atomic numbers as low as copper (Z – 29). The pair production yield was found to be consistent with the Bethe-Heitler mechanism, where the number of positrons emitted into a 1 steradian cone angle from the target rear was found to be proportional to Z2. The unexpectedly low scaling results from Coulomb collisions that act to stop or scatter positrons into high angles. Monte Carlo simulations support the experimental results, providing a comprehensive power-law scaling relationship for all elemental materials and densities.},

  doi          = {10.1063/1.4971235},

  journal      = {Physics of Plasmas},

  number       = 12,

  volume       = 23,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue Dec 06 00:00:00 EST 2016},

  month        = {Tue Dec 06 00:00:00 EST 2016}

}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Increasing the magnetic-field capability of the magneto-inertial fusion electrical discharge system using an inductively coupled coil
journal, March 2018

Barnak, D. H.; Davies, J. R.; Fiksel, G.
Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 89, Issue 3
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High-energy radiation and pair production by Coulomb processes in particle-in-cell simulations
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Enhanced electron acceleration in aligned nanowire arrays irradiated at highly relativistic intensities
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Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 62, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6587/ab4d0c

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Title: Target material dependence of positron generation from high intensity laser-matter interactions

Abstract

Citation Formats

High magnetic field generation for laser-plasma experiments journal, November 2006

Estimates of electron-positron pair production in the interaction of high-power laser radiation with high-Z targets journal, February 1998

Emittance of positron beams produced in intense laser plasma interaction journal, January 2013

Particle acceleration in relativistic laser channels journal, July 1999

High performance compact magnetic spectrometers for energetic ion and electron measurement in ultraintense short pulse laser solid interactions journal, October 2008

Numerical study of pair creation by ultraintense lasers journal, May 2002

The scaling of electron and positron generation in intense laser-solid interactionsa) journal, May 2015

Construction of a solenoid used on a magnetized plasma experiment journal, November 2014

The Design of Powerful Electromagnets Part IV. The New Magnet Laboratory at M. I. T. journal, December 1939

Generation of neutral and high-density electron–positron pair plasmas in the laboratory journal, April 2015

Bremsstrahlung Cross-Section Formulas and Related Data journal, October 1959

Transmission Electron Microscopy book, January 1997

Magnetic collimation of relativistic positrons and electrons from high intensity laser–matter interactions journal, April 2014

Effects of target charging and ion emission on the energy spectrum of emitted electrons journal, May 2011

Relativistic Positron Creation Using Ultraintense Short Pulse Lasers journal, March 2009

Relativistic Quasimonoenergetic Positron Jets from Intense Laser-Solid Interactions journal, July 2010

Scaling the Yield of Laser-Driven Electron-Positron Jets to Laboratory Astrophysical Applications journal, May 2015

Pair Production by Ultraintense Lasers journal, November 1998

Pair Production by Photons journal, October 1969

Optimizing electron-positron pair production on kilojoule-class high-intensity lasers for the purpose of pair-plasma creation journal, June 2009

Evaluation of the collision stopping power of elements and compounds for electrons and positrons journal, November 1982

Geant4 developments and applications journal, February 2006

Physical principles of electron microscopy journal, December 2005

Physical principles of electron microscopy journal, December 2005

Transmission Electron Microscopy book, January 1996

Transmission Electron Microscopy book, January 2011

Physical Principles of Electron Microscopy book, January 2016

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High magnetic field generation for laser-plasma experiments
journal, November 2006

Estimates of electron-positron pair production in the interaction of high-power laser radiation with high-Z targets
journal, February 1998

Emittance of positron beams produced in intense laser plasma interaction
journal, January 2013

Particle acceleration in relativistic laser channels
journal, July 1999

High performance compact magnetic spectrometers for energetic ion and electron measurement in ultraintense short pulse laser solid interactions
journal, October 2008

Numerical study of pair creation by ultraintense lasers
journal, May 2002

The scaling of electron and positron generation in intense laser-solid interactionsa)
journal, May 2015

Construction of a solenoid used on a magnetized plasma experiment
journal, November 2014

The Design of Powerful Electromagnets Part IV. The New Magnet Laboratory at M. I. T.
journal, December 1939

Generation of neutral and high-density electron–positron pair plasmas in the laboratory
journal, April 2015

Bremsstrahlung Cross-Section Formulas and Related Data
journal, October 1959

Transmission Electron Microscopy
book, January 1997

Magnetic collimation of relativistic positrons and electrons from high intensity laser–matter interactions
journal, April 2014

Effects of target charging and ion emission on the energy spectrum of emitted electrons
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Relativistic Positron Creation Using Ultraintense Short Pulse Lasers
journal, March 2009

Relativistic Quasimonoenergetic Positron Jets from Intense Laser-Solid Interactions
journal, July 2010

Scaling the Yield of Laser-Driven Electron-Positron Jets to Laboratory Astrophysical Applications
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Pair Production by Ultraintense Lasers
journal, November 1998

Pair Production by Photons
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Optimizing electron-positron pair production on kilojoule-class high-intensity lasers for the purpose of pair-plasma creation
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Evaluation of the collision stopping power of elements and compounds for electrons and positrons
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