Validation of e$^+$e$^-$ Pair Production Total Cross Sections for Monte Carlo Particle Transport

TL;DR

This paper evaluates various total cross section data sources for e$^+$e$^-$ pair production in photon interactions, comparing them with experimental data to identify the most compatible models for Monte Carlo particle transport simulations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive validation of different cross section datasets against experimental measurements, highlighting the most accurate sources for Monte Carlo simulations.

Findings

EPDL 1997 data library shows the best agreement with experiments.

Most sources are based on a single theoretical reference, yet differ in experimental compatibility.

Limited data prevents clear separation of nuclear and electronic field contributions.

Abstract

Several sources of total cross sections for e$^+$e$^-$ pair production by photon interaction with matter, used by major Monte Carlo codes for particle transport, are quantitatively evaluated with respect to experimental measurements collected from the literature. They include data libraries deriving from theoretical calculations and analytical formulae representing empirical fits to tabulations. Although most of these sources of cross sections are based on one theoretical reference, the statistical data analysis documented in the paper highlights differences in their compatibility with experiment. The cross sections collected in the 1997 version of the Evaluated Photon Data Library (EPDL) exhibit the lowest incompatibility with experiment; the paper details the validation results for all the examined cross section sources. The scarcity of experimental data does not allow the validation process to discern pair production in the field of the nucleus and in the field of atomic electrons; nevertheless, the paper documents relevant clues regarding the contribution of the latter to reproduce experimental measurements.