Can extreme electromagnetic fields accelerate the $\alpha$ decay of nuclei?

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates whether extreme electromagnetic fields from future high-power lasers can influence alpha decay rates, concluding that no detectable effects are expected with current or near-future technology.

Contribution

It provides a rigorous theoretical analysis showing that super-intense lasers cannot modify alpha decay rates, correcting previous claims of possible giant enhancements.

Findings

No detectable alpha decay rate modification with super-intense lasers.

Previous reports of giant enhancements are due to approximation misuse.

Theoretical models confirm the stability of alpha decay under extreme electromagnetic fields.

Abstract

The possibility to control the $\alpha$ decay channel of atomic nuclei with electromagnetic fields of extreme intensities envisaged for the near future at multi-petawatt and exawatt laser facilities is investigated theoretically. Using both analytic arguments based on the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation and numerical calculations for the imaginary time method applied in the framework of the $\alpha$ decay precluster model, we show that no experimentally detectable modification of the $\alpha$ decay rate can be observed with super-intense lasers at any so-far available wavelength. Comparing our predictions with those reported in several recent publications, where a considerable or even giant laser-induced enhancement of the decay rate has been claimed, we identify there the misuse of a standard approximation.