@inproceedings{e2cae607a2174a7d9f88ad06052f6f96,
title = "A table-top laser-based source of short, collimated, ultra-relativistic positron beams",
abstract = "An ultra-relativistic electron beam passing through a thick, high-Z solid target triggers an electromagnetic cascade, whereby a large number of high energy photons and electron-positron pairs are produced. By exploiting this physical process, we present here the first experimental evidence of the generation of ultra-short, highly collimated and ultra-relativistic positron beams following the interaction of a laser-wake field accelerated electron beam with high-Z solid targets. Clear evidence has also been obtained of the generation of GeV electron-positron jets with variable composition depending on the solid target material and thickness. The percentage of positrons in the overall leptonic beam has been observed to vary from a few per cent up to almost fifty per cent, implying a quasi-neutral electron-positron beam. We anticipate that these beams will be of direct relevance to the laboratory study of astrophysical leptonic jets and their interaction with the interstellar medium.",
keywords = "pair production, electron-positron beams, laser, astrophysical jets, ELECTRON-BEAMS, GENERATION, ACCELERATION, FEMTOSECOND, SHOCK",
author = "G. Sarri and W. Schumaker and {Di Piazza}, A. and M. Vargas and B. Dromey and Dieckmann, {M. E.} and V. Chvykov and A. Maksimchuk and V. Yanovsky and He, {Z. H.} and Hou, {B. X.} and Nees, {J. A.} and Thomas, {A. G R} and Keitel, {C. H.} and M. Zepf and K. Krushelnick",
year = "2013",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1117/12.2018744",
language = "English",
isbn = "9780819495815",
volume = "8779",
series = "Proceedings of SPIE",
publisher = "SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",
editor = "E Esarey and CB Schroeder and WP Leemans and KWD Ledingham and DA Jaroszynski",
booktitle = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",
address = "United States",
note = "Laser Acceleration of Electrons, Protons, and Ions II; and Medical Applications of Laser-Generated Beams of Particles II; and Harnessing Relativistic Plasma Waves III ; Conference date: 15-04-2013 Through 18-04-2013",
}