2024/04/10 by Xian-Zhang Wu, Wu, Xian-Zhang, Yan-Fei Li +3 · 1 citation
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced X-ray Imaging Techniques #FOS: Physical sciences #Laser Design and Applications #Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications #Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2404.07038
openalex publication_date 2024/04/10 · openalex created_date 2024/04/13 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Nonlinear Compton scattering driven by ultraintense lasers presents a promising avenue for enhancing the photon energy, brilliance, and setup compactness of γ-ray sources. However, a significant challenge lies in achieving a high polarization degree with commonly generated unpolarized electrons, thus addressing a longstanding puzzle in the field. Here we investigate the polarization dynamics of photons emitted by an unpolarized electron beam interacting with a counter-propagating ultraintense laser pulse numerically, and propose a novel method to generate highly polarized γ rays via nonlinear Compton scattering with the aid of vacuum dichroism effect. Our simulations reveal that high-brilliance γ rays with polarization beyond 90% are feasible in a single-shot interaction, rivaling the highest achieved by any γ-ray sources to date, based on a developed Monte Carlo method incorporating polarization-resolved tree processes of nonlinear Compton scattering and Breit-Wheeler pair production and one-loop vacuum polarization. This generation method showcases an extraordinary ultra-high polarization degree and a user-friendly all-optical experimental setup, while harnessing the high photon energy and brilliance characteristic of nonlinear Compton scattering sources, thus making it of great potential for experimental applications.