Brilliant γ-ray flashes and attosecond positron bunches from a nanofiber target driven by ultraintense lasers

Abstract

We propose an all-optical scheme for the generation of brilliant γ-ray flashes and dense attosecond positron bunches by using ultraintense laser pulses. When a 10 PW laser pulse with intensity of 1023 W/cm2 irradiates a nanofiber target, surface electrons are dragged-out of the nanofiber and are effectively accelerated to several GeV energies, forming relativistic attosecond electron bunches. When these electrons collide with the counter-propagating probe pulse, brilliant γ-ray flashes are emitted with peak brightness up to ~1024 photons s-1mm−2mrad−2. Finally, the multi-photon Breit-Wheeler process is triggered and dense attosecond positron bunches are produced. Such brilliant γ-ray flashes and dense attosecond positron beams may have diverse potential applications in various fields.