Dense electron-positron plasmas and bursts of gamma-rays from laser-generated quantum electrodynamic plasmas

Journal article

In simulations of a 12.5 PW laser (focussed intensity I = 4 × 10 23 Wcm - 2) striking a solid aluminum target, 10% of the laser energy is converted to gamma-rays. A dense electron-positron plasma is generated with a maximum density of 10 26 m - 3, seven orders of magnitude denser than pure e- e+ plasmas generated with 1PW lasers. When the laser power is increased to 320 PW (I = 10 25 Wcm - 2), 40% of the laser energy is converted to gamma-ray photons and 10% to electron-positron pairs. In bot...

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Authors: Ridgers, C; Brady, C; Duclous, R; Kirk, J; Bennett, K

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: PHYSICS OF PLASMAS
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 056701-056701
• Publication date: 2013-05-01
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4801513
• ISSN: 1070-664X
• Language: English