Authors of paper: Heng-Yu Zhang, Long-Fei Gan, Hong-Bin Zhuo, Bin Qiao, Yan-Yun Ma, and Jia-Yu Dai

Link to paper: https://journals.aps.org/pra/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevA.100.022122

Notebook by: Óscar Amaro

Abstract: Production of electron-positron pairs by a relativistic electron beam propagating through an intense laser field is reconsidered by use of the Monte Carlo method within the quantum electrodynamics theory. The scenario of the SLAC experiment is analyzed [D. Burke et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 1626 (1997)], on the basis of which a scheme for pair production by a high-energy electron beam colliding with a composed laser field is proposed. The laser field consists of two components with different frequencies. We show that this composed laser field can facilitate pair creation by the double-photon Breit-Wheeler process and could significantly amplify the production probability. Our predictions can be tested by utilizing presently available high-energy electron accelerators and high-intensity laser facilities.