Capturing a New State of Matter: Relativistic Electron-Positron Plasma

Hui Chen | 20-LW-021

Executive Summary

The goal of this project is to capture electron-positron pair jets created from laser-matter interaction using a high-field magnetic mirror to make a confined relativistic pair plasma (a new state of matter) in the laboratory for the first time. This research is fundamental to the study of basic plasma physics, which underlies many national security missions, and to our understanding of some of the most energetic astrophysical phenomena in the universe.

Publications, Presentations, and Patents

Chen, H. 2019. "First demonstration of ARC-accelerated proton beams at the National Ignition Facility." Phys. Plasmas. 26. doi:10.1063/1.5085787. LLNL-JRNL-763580

——— 2020a. "Comment on Table-Top Laser-Based Source of Femtosecond, Collimated, Ultrarelativistic Positron Beams." Phys. Rev. Lett. 124. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.179501. LLNL-JRNL-759021

———2020b. "Enhanced laser-plasma interactions using non-imaging optical concentrator targets." Optica, 7, 129-130. doi:10.1364/OPTICA.375486. LLNL-JRNL-786638

——— 2020c. "Production of relativistic electrons at subrelativistic laser intensities." Phys. Rev. E. 101. doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.101.031201. LLNL-JRNL-769934