Generation of GeV positron and γ-photon beams with controllable angular momentum by intense lasers

Zhu, Xing-Long and Yu, Tong-Pu and Chen, Min and Weng, Su-Ming and Sheng, Zheng-Ming (2018) Generation of GeV positron and γ-photon beams with controllable angular momentum by intense lasers. New Journal of Physics, 20. 083013. ISSN 1367-2630 (https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aad71a)

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Abstract

Although several laser–plasma-based methods have been proposed for generating energetic electrons, positrons and γ-photons, manipulation of their microstructures is still challenging, and their angular momentum control has not yet been achieved. Here, we present and numerically demonstrate an all-optical scheme to generate bright GeV γ-photon and positron beams with controllable angular momentum by use of two counter-propagating circularly-polarized lasers in a near-critical-density plasma. The plasma acts as a 'switching medium', where the trapped electrons first obtain angular momentum from the drive laser pulse and then transfer it to the γ-photons via nonlinear Compton scattering. Further through the multiphoton Breit–Wheeler process, dense energetic positron beams are efficiently generated, whose angular momentum can be well controlled by laser–plasma interactions. This opens up a promising and feasible way to produce ultra-bright GeV γ-photons and positron beams with desirable angular momentum for a wide range of scientific research and applications.

ORCID iDs

Zhu, Xing-Long, Yu, Tong-Pu, Chen, Min, Weng, Su-Ming and Sheng, Zheng-Ming ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8823-9993;
  • Item type:Article
    ID code:65194
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    9 August 2018
    Published
    9 August 2018
    Published Online
    31 July 2018
    Accepted
    Subjects:Science > Physics
    Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:16 Aug 2018 14:18
    Last modified:11 Nov 2024 12:05
    Related URLs:
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/65194
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