Laser-driven -ray, positron, and neutron source from ultra-intense laser-matter interactions

Nakamura, Tatsufumi*; Hayakawa, Takehito

In ultra-intense laser-matter interactions, -rays are effectively generated via the radiation reaction effect. Since a significant fraction of the laser energy is converted into -rays, understanding of the energy transport inside of the target is important. We have developed a Particle-in-Cell code which includes generation of the -rays, their energy transport, and photo-nuclear reactions. Using the code, we have proposed a collimated, mono-energetic positron beams with hundreds of MeV are generated by using thick targets. Neutron beams are also effectively generated by using beryllium targets via photo-nuclear reactions.