Abstract
Prolific electron-positron pair production is possible at laser intensities approaching at a wavelength of . An analysis of electron trajectories and interactions at the nodes () of two counterpropagating, circularly polarized laser beams shows that a cascade of rays and pairs develops. The geometry is generalized qualitatively to linear polarization and laser beams incident on a solid target.
- Received 8 August 2008
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.200403
©2008 American Physical Society