Particle physics with a laser-driven positronium atom

TL;DR

This paper presents a quantum-electrodynamic analysis of muon pair creation from laser-driven positronium atoms, demonstrating the feasibility of observing high-energy particle production with current laser technology.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed quantum-electrodynamic calculation of muon pair creation from positronium in intense laser fields, highlighting a new method for high-energy particle generation.

Findings

Muon pairs can be produced at laser intensities around 10^22 W/cm^2.

Produced muons form an ultrarelativistic, collimated beam.

The process is observable with existing laser technology.

Abstract

A detailed quantum-electrodynamic calculation of muon pair creation in laser-driven electron-positron collisions is presented. The colliding particles stem from a positronium atom exposed to a superintense laser wave of linear polarization, which allows for high luminosity. The threshold laser intensity of this high-energy reaction amounts to a few 10^22 W/cm^2 in the near-infrared frequency range. The muons produced form an ultrarelativistic, strongly collimated beam, which is explicable in terms of a classical simple-man's model. Our results indicate that the process can be observed at high positronium densities with the help of present-day laser technology.