Pair annihilation in laser pulses : Optical versus x-ray free-electron laser regimes

• We discuss the theory and phenomenology of pair annihilation, within an ultrashort laser pulse, to a single photon. The signature of this process is the unidirectional emission of single photons with a fixed energy. We show that the cross section is significantly larger than for two-photon pair annihilation in vacuum, with x-ray free-electron laser parameters admitting a much clearer signal than optical beams.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Atom- och molekylfysik och optik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)