Angle-resolved stochastic photon emission in the quantum radiation-dominated regime

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantum stochastic effects in gamma-ray emission from relativistic electrons interacting with intense laser pulses, highlighting observable signatures in angular radiation patterns.

Contribution

It demonstrates the angular signatures of quantum stochastic photon emission in a radiation-dominated regime, providing a basis for experimental detection.

Findings

Stochastic gamma-ray emission signatures are observable in angular distributions.

Signatures are robust across various laser and electron beam parameters.

Quantum stochastic effects are measurable with upcoming laser technology.

Abstract

Signatures of stochastic effects in the radiation of a relativistic electron beam interacting with a counterpropagating superstrong short focused laser pulse are investigated in a quantum regime when the electron's radiation dominates its dynamics. We consider the electron-laser interaction at near-reflection conditions when pronounced high-energy gamma-ray bursts arise in the backward-emission direction with respect to the initial motion of the electrons. The quantum stochastic nature of the gamma-photon emission is exhibited in the angular distributions of the radiation and explained in an intuitive picture. Although, the visibility of the stochasticity signatures depends on the laser and electron beam parameters, the signatures are of a qualitative nature and robust. The stochasticity, a fundamental quantum property of photon emission, should thus be measurable rather straightforwardly with laser technology available in near future.