Generation of narrow beams of ultrarelativistic positrons (electrons) in the resonant strong electromagnetic field-assisted Breit-Wheeler process

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates the resonant Breit-Wheeler process in strong electromagnetic fields, predicting the generation of narrow, ultrarelativistic electron-positron beams with probabilities surpassing non-resonant processes.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of resonant kinematics and derives the differential cross section, demonstrating enhanced beam generation in the resonant regime for high-energy gamma photons.

Findings

Resonant Breit-Wheeler process significantly increases ultrarelativistic pair production.

Narrow beams of electrons and positrons are predicted in the resonant regime.

Probability of pair generation exceeds non-resonant processes.

Abstract

The resonant external field-assisted Breit-Wheeler process (Oleinik resonances) for strong electromagnetic fields with intensities less than the critical Schwinger field has been theoretically studied. The resonant kinematics has been studied in detail. The case of high-energy initial gamma quanta and emerging ultrarelativistic electron-positron pairs is studied. The resonant differential cross section is obtained. The generation of narrow beams of ultrarelativistic positrons (for Channel A) and electrons (for Channel B) is predicted with a probability significantly exceeding corresponding to the non-resonant process.