Adiabatic Pair Creation in Heavy Ion and Laser Fields

TL;DR

This paper develops a unified theoretical framework for adiabatic electron-positron pair creation in strong classical fields, providing new insights that challenge previous predictions, with implications for laser and heavy ion collider experiments.

Contribution

It offers the first comprehensive theory of adiabatic pair creation, including momentum distribution, and revises earlier predictions for laser field scenarios.

Findings

The theory predicts specific momentum distributions of created pairs.

Adiabatic pair creation may be more feasible than previously thought.

Results suggest new experimental approaches for observing pair creation.

Abstract

The planned generation of lasers and heavy ion colliders renews the hope to see electron-positron pair creation in strong classical fields (so called spontaneous pair creation). This adiabatic relativistic effect has however not been described in a unified manner. We discuss here the theory of adiabatic pair creation yielding the momentum distribution of scattered pairs in overcritical fields. Our conclusion about the possibility of adiabatic pair creation is different from earlier predictions for laser fields.