Abstract
Since the invention of chirped pulse amplification, which was recognized by a Nobel Prize in physics in 2018, there has been a continuing increase in available laser intensity. Combined with advances in our understanding of the kinetics of relativistic plasma, studies of laser–plasma interactions are entering a new regime where the physics of relativistic plasmas is strongly affected by strong-field quantum electrodynamics (QED) processes, including hard photon emission and electron–positron (e−–e+) pair production. This coupling of quantum emission processes and relativistic collective particle dynamics can result in dramatically new plasma physics phenomena, such as the generation of dense e−–e+ pair plasma from near vacuum, complete laser energy absorption by QED processes, or the stopping of an ultra-relativistic electron beam, which could penetrate a cm of lead, by a hair's breadth of laser light. In addition to being of fundamental interest, it is crucial to study this new regime to understand the next generation of ultra-high intensity laser-matter experiments and their resulting applications, such as high energy ion, electron, positron, and photon sources for fundamental physics studies, medical radiotherapy, and next generation radiography for homeland security and industry.
Highlights
The new plasma state that is created in the presence of supercritical fields is similar to that thought to exist in extreme astrophysical environments including the magnetospheres of pulsars and active black holes
Electron–positron plasmas are a prominent feature of the winds from pulsars[15] and black holes.[16]
The interaction of lasers with electrons, positrons, and photons, whether they act as single particles or plasma constituents, may lead to a number of strong fields (SFs) quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects including vacuum breakdown and polarization, light by light scattering, vacuum birefringence, four-wave mixing, high harmonic generation from vacuum, and EM cascades of different types
Summary
One of the predictions of quantum electrodynamics (QED) is that in the presence of an electric field stronger than a critical field strength, the “breakdown” of the vacuum occurs, which results in the spontaneous creation of matter and antimatter in the form of electrons and positrons.[1,2,3] Extremely strong fields (SFs) can polarize the quantum vacuum; predicted exotic effects include light-by-light scattering, vacuum birefringence, four-wave mixing, and high order harmonic generation from the vacuum.[4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11] While QED is probably one of the best verified theories so far at a single particle level,[12,13] the new collective phenomena that arise when electrons, positrons, and photons are exposed to strong electromagnetic (EM) fields are not yet well understood. Laser fields may both provide a strong electromagnetic field and generate high-energy particles[19] and represent a interesting environment for studying plasma physics in supercritically strong fields.[5,7,8] Despite tremendous progress achieved in recent years, there are a lot of unanswered questions and unsolved problems that need to be addressed both theoretically and in experiments In this perspective article, we will give an introduction to the physics of relativistic plasma in supercritical fields, discuss the current state of the field, give an overview of recent developments, and highlight open questions and topics that, in our opinion, will dominate the attention of people working in the field over the decade or so. With new facilities capable of achieving greater than 10 PW power, it will become possible to experimentally reach a new radiation dominated regime[21] where phenomena, including prolific creation of matter from light, can be explored
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