High Efficiency Gamma-Ray Flash Generation via Multiple Compton Scattering

Abstract

Gamma-ray flash generation in near critical density (NCD) target irradiated by four symmetrical colliding laser pulses is numerically investigated. With peak intensities about 10 23 W/cm 2 , the laser pulses boost electron energy through direct laser acceleration, while pushing them inward with the ponderomotive force. After backscattering with counter-propagating laser, the accelerated electron is trapped in the optical lattice or the electromagnetic standing waves (SW) created by the coherent overlapping of the laser pulses, and emits gamma-ray photons in Multiple Compton Scattering regime, where electrons act as a medium transferring energy from the laser to gamma-rays. The energy conversion rate from laser pulses to gamma-ray can be as high as 50%.

Charged particle dynamics in multiple colliding electromagnetic waves. Survey of random walk, Lévy flights, limit circles, attractors and structurally determinate patterns

“…18, 20, 27, and 28. As for the possible practical implications of these findings, these "crystal-like" patterns are expected to be seen in the spatial distribution of the gamma-rays emitted by the electrons irradiated by the multiple high power laser pulses, which has been noticed in Refs. [32] and [33].…”

“…Computer simulations presented in Refs. [32][33][34] show that the MCLP concept can be beneficial for realizing such important laser-matter interaction regimes as, for example, the electron-positron pair production via the Breit-Wheeler process [32] and the high efficiency gamma-ray flash generation due to nonlinear Thomson or multi-photon Compton scattering [33,34]. Another configuration for the generation of a gamma-flash is a single laser pulse irradiating an overdense plasma target [35][36][37][38].…”