Dense Polarized Positrons from Laser-Irradiated Foil Targets in the QED Regime

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that ultraintense laser interactions with foil targets in the QED regime produce highly polarized positrons, with potential for future high-power laser applications and fundamental physics research.

Contribution

First simulation-based evidence showing polarization of positrons generated in laser-solid interactions at intensities above 10^{24} W/cm^2, revealing polarization dependence on angles and energies.

Findings

Positrons become polarized at laser intensities >10^{24} W/cm^2.

Polarization degree can exceed 30%, reaching up to 60% at certain angles.

Generated positrons have >30 nC charge and flux of 10^{12} sr^{-1}.

Abstract

Dense positrons are shown to be effectively generated from laser-solid interactions in the strong-field quantum electrodynamics (QED) regime. Whether these positrons are polarized has not yet been reported, limiting their potential applications. Here, by QED particle-in-cell simulations including electron-positron spin and photon polarization effects, we investigate a typical laser-solid setup that an ultraintense linearly polarized laser irradiates a foil target with $\mu$m-scale-length preplasma. We find that once the positron yield becomes appreciable with the laser intensity exceeding $10^{24}~\rm W/\rm cm^2$, the positrons are obviously polarized. The polarized positrons can acquire $>30\%$ polarization degree and $>30$ nC charge with a flux of $10^{12}\,{\rm sr}^{-1}$. The polarization relies on the deflected angles and can reach 60\% at some angles and energies. The angularly-dependent polarization is attributed to the asymmetrical laser fields positrons undergo in the skin layer of overdense plasma, where the radiative spin-flip and radiation reaction play significant roles. The positron polarization is robust and could generally appear in future 100-PW-class laser-solid experiments for various applications.